The Shift
by sophietee
Summary: When Loki falls from Asgard, he meets the woman he promised his brother he would pay a visit to. Little did he know that Jane Foster would change him just as much as she did his brother.
1. Chapter 1

"_I must go back to Asgard, but I give you my word: I will return for you."_

Jane woke up in a cold sweat. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the pure darkness that settled in her trailer as she quickly sat up and tried to calm her furiously beating heart. Jane held her breath. Her heartbeat slowed, but a wrenching pain soon followed it.

That was the fourth time this week she had relived that memory in her dreams. It was becoming a common dream; ever since Thor had left nearly six months ago, her mind simply couldn't let go of him; couldn't let go of his warm smile, his beautiful blue eyes…

_Stop it Jane, you're only making this worse for yourself,_ she thought. Jane cradled her head in her hands as she forced herself to swallow the pain in her heart.

Sighing deeply, Jane swung her legs from under the covers and over the side of her bed. She walked further toward the front of the trailer and slipped on a pair of sneakers and the sweater that was thrown on top of the counter. She picked up the lab keys on the ring by the trailer door and stuck them in her pocket. Pulling it tight around her shoulders, Jane opened the door to her trailer and stepped out into the night.

Jane made her way to the lab, and unlocked the door quietly. Erik was asleep in one of the rooms in the rear, and so was Darcy. Making her way to the kitchen, Jane noticed the clock on one of the walls.

_2:08 AM._

She sighed and picked up the keys to the van that sat on one of the glass lab tables. Jane left the lab and set out the van, not entirely sure where she wanted to escape to.

oOoOo

"_I could have done it Father! I could have done it! For you! For all of us!"_

"_No, Loki."_

Blinding light.

Free falling.

Loki hurdled through space at an incredible speed. Although he was falling incredibly fast, everything felt so slow. Memories flashed through his mind. Memories of his childhood.

_You were both born to be kings._

Suddenly, the light fell away and darkness filled his vision.

Immense pain.

The breath had been knocked out of his lungs, and Loki struggled to see where he had ended up. After the dark spots had cleared from his sight, he was able to see exactly where he had landed.

Midgard.


	2. Chapter 2

Jane had spent every day for the last six months working on and improving the Foster Theory; S.H.I.E.L.D had brought her on board as one of their chief scientists shortly after Thor had returned to Asgard. The only reason she had agreed to be on the research team in the first place was because she had hope of finding Thor and being reunited with him.

Jane sighed and turned off the van. She clambered out of the van and sat in the center of the Celtic design on the desert floor.

After a few months, Jane found herself driving to the place where she had first stumbled upon Thor more and more. She felt closer to him here, and every time she approached the intricate design left by the Bifrost, the hope within her heart reignited. Jane felt at peace here.

She leaned back on her palms and crossed her ankles in front of her; she looked up at the clear night sky. The constellations had always been her constant companions, ever since she was a young girl. Jane had always found some sort of comfort within the vastness of the starry skies, especially after the death of her parents.

Jane shut her eyes and inhaled deeply. She tried to push away the thoughts that shrouded her mind in sadness. She instead focused on the cool evening breeze that rustled through her rich brown hair, and the quiet that surrounded her.

As Jane was beginning to feel calmer and much less hopeless, she heard a strange noise. Opening her eyes, she looked up at the sky and gasped. Storm clouds had gathered rather quickly, and were swirling right above her head. Thunder had resounded loudly, and brilliant lights had begun to swirl. One name crossed Jane's mind as she had scrambled to move out of the way.

_Thor._

Finally on her feet, Jane ran around to the back of the van to shield herself from the powerful winds. The gusts whipped her hair in front of her face, and Jane found herself trying to tuck every last strand of hair behind her ears so that she might have a good look at Thor when he landed.

The excitement that built up inside her was akin to a fire. Her heart welled up with the hope that Thor returned for her, and only for her. A burst of white light exploded across her vision, and she squeezed her eyes shut, turning away from it.

Everything stopped. The wind had fallen silent. Jane opened her eyes and was greeted by the darkness. It took a moment for her eyes to fully adjust, but when they did, she began to jog over to the spot the storm clouds had touched down upon. As the dust settled, Jane sensed something wasn't right. Even thought it was dark, she could see that the figure that lay on the desert floor was not Thor.

oOoOo

He tried to sit up on his elbows, but a sharp pain in his abdomen prevented him from doing so. His breathing became shallow, and he closed his eyes again; he tried to summon magic to help his wounds heal faster, but he felt too weak. As he tried to sit up again, he suddenly became keenly aware that he had an audience.

Loki was being watched.

He gritted his teeth and forced himself to sit up. He inhaled sharply at the pain that pierced his abdomen and his head. He heard a sudden movement to his right, then felt a small hand supporting his upper back.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" a panicked voice asked. It was the voice of a mortal woman. His vision started to blur. Loki tried to respond; he wanted the mortal to leave him alone, to let him heal himself, but he could not think coherently enough to form a clear response.

"Can you stand?" the mortal woman asked again. Loki knew he would not be able to stand very well, but before he knew it, the mortal had gently pushed him into a complete sitting position and threw his arm over her shoulder.

"Work with me here. Please stand up; I need you to help me so I can help you," the woman pleaded softly. Loki, feeling that this woman would not let him alone, decided to comply. Gritting his teeth, he shifted his weight so that he could stand up.

"There you go. It's only a few more feet to the van. Come on, you can do it," the woman quietly rallied him. _Insufferable_, he thought. He decided that he would leave her as soon as he was able to.

Surprisingly, the mortal woman was stronger than she appeared. She shouldered much of his body weight and did not complain; she only led him in the direction of her vehicle. She was at least a foot shorter than he was. He tried to walk upright, but the pain in his abdomen would not allow for that.

The mortal woman led him around to the right side of the vehicle and opened the door.

"Just put your foot here, and hoist yourself up…there you go," she encouraged gently. Once Loki was seated, the mortal hoisted herself up on the metal step beside the door and reached over his shoulder. Loki flinched.

"Relax, it's just a seatbelt. For safety," she said calmly. She pulled the seatbelt over his shoulder and across his chest. He tensed at the close proximity. She seemed to sense his apprehensiveness, so she didn't linger for much longer. The belt clicked into place and the mortal stepped down from the side of the vehicle and shut the door. She ran to the other side and jumped in. Loki heard the unfamiliar roar of the car engine, and gazed through the windshield at the stars as the vehicle began to move. The Midgardian constellations were never as brilliant as the constellations of Asgard.

_Another reason why Midgard and its inhabitants were inferior to Asgard_, Loki thought to himself. His vision blurred even farther, and before he knew it, everything went black.


	3. Chapter 3

Jane pulled up to the lab. She had driven the van like a madwoman, not entirely sure how badly the man was hurt.

_Is he even human?_ Jane thought to herself. _Probably not, if he fell from the Bifrost_.

Shutting the van off, she hopped down from the van. Deciding it would be easier to prop the lab door open than try to open it with dead weight on her shoulder, she reached into her sweater pocket and pulled out the lab keys. Jane moved quickly; she momentarily thought about whether or not she should wake up Erik. She shook her head, deciding against it. Jane ran back to the van and opened up the passenger door.

_Damn_, she thought. He had passed out. Now she would have to contend with complete dead weight. Jane momentarily doubted herself, but she knew she had to get him in the lab. Hoping that maybe he was just lightly sleeping, she shook his shoulder gently. No response. Jane sighed and reached across his lap to unfasten the seatbelt. She slightly blushed; her stature was so small that reaching from the side of the van across his lap seemed improper.

Jane released the seatbelt from across the man's chest and momentarily took in the scene. In her mind, she was trying to decide what would be the best way to get him down from the van. She finally decided to do the same as she had when she brought him to the van. She put his arm over her shoulder and gently moved him from the seat.

After a few minutes, Jane managed to move him from the van completely. She put her free arm around his waist. Once his feet hit the ground, she heard a grunt; the sudden movement must have slightly awakened him. Jane could only hope. She tried to stand him up just enough so that she could walk him inside, but his dead weight ended up slamming her into the van. She winced at the burst of pain on her hip.

"Stay with me here. Only a little while longer and you can rest. Just…try to walk so I can get you inside. Please," Jane pleaded softly. Jane shifted her arm around his waist so that she could better support him. His head hung forward in response. Jane began to make her way toward the lab, struggling to support all of his weight. He nearly dwarfed her; he must have been at least a full foot taller than she was. Jane was surprised with her ability to support him.

_Legs, don't give up on me now_, Jane begged silently.

Jane was able to make it to the inside of the lab and lay the man down on the couch. Jane panted slightly and brought over a chair next to the couch. She sat down and was able to get a good look at the mysterious man. His complexion was very light, akin to alabaster; his face was sharp and angular. His cheekbones were clearly defined, as was his jaw line. His raven hair was a stark contrast to his pale face. It curled slightly at the ends, and framed his face. His mouth was slightly curved downward, as if in thought. His appearance caused Jane to think of royalty; even the shape of his nose suggested nobility. He was dressed in heavy armor, and thick clothing. _That's probably why his weight seemed almost twice as heavy_, Jane thought. His body was lean, but he was not too thin; he was filled out.

Jane, acting on sudden impulse, reached over to gently move a strand of hair from out of his face. Leaning back, she took him in one last time. Jane thought he was handsome, but then felt that handsome did not do him justice. Everything about him had a natural and dark beauty.

Before she ended up staring at the stranger for the remainder of the evening, Jane stood up. She had to tell Erik before he found out in the morning. Jane made her way to the back of the lab, taking a few backward glances at the man resting on the couch.

When Jane reached Erik's bedroom door, she knocked quietly. No response. She knocked a little louder and waited. She heard the shuffling of feet and the mumblings of someone rudely awakened. The door swung open to reveal an older man, well into his fifties, with a gentle look about him.

"Jane? What are you doing awake at this hour? Is something wrong?" Erik asked, a little louder than Jane would have liked.

"Shh, Erik. Nothing's wrong; well, maybe, I dunno, but there's something you need to see," Jane said, trying to reassure him that she was okay.

"Can it wait until morning?" Erik asked in a loud whisper. A second door opened, revealing a very sleepy Darcy.

"Not really, Erik," Jane said apologetically.

"Guys, what's going on?" she asked groggily. Jane sighed.

"Just, come on," Jane said, feeling resigned. She led the two out into the main lab.

oOoOo

"He is _smokin'_!" Darcy said, fully awake now. Jane had turned on the light in the kitchen, partly illuminating the stranger's sleeping body.

"Where did you find him, Jane?" Erik asked urgently. He sounded apprehensive. Jane gave him a sideways glance, and his mouth had pulled into a tight line. He did not take his eyes off of the man lying on their couch.

"I found him at the site," Jane said quietly.

"What I can't get over is how you carried all that dead weight from the van to here. He's like, _three times_ your size!" Darcy exclaimed. This was why Jane liked Darcy so much; she was intelligent, but so simple minded at the same time.

"How did you come across him?" Erik asked, still sounding aloof.

"Well, I couldn't sleep, so I drove out to the site to look at the stars and calm down a bit." Jane replied. She left out the part where she drove out to the site at least twice a week.

"And you just, _found_ him there? Was he attacked?" Erik inquired, feeling a little confused.

"Well, no. I didn't just find him. He…well, he _fell_ the same way that-" Jane choked on his name.

"Thor did?" Darcy finished for her. Erik's face lost all colour.

"My god…" Erik said under his breath. Jane looked at him with worry.

"What?" Jane and Darcy asked in unison.

"Jane, do you know who this is?" Erik asked gravely. His tone had their full attention. His face had become as utterly serious as his tone.

"No," Jane responded hesitantly.

"Jane, this is serious. You've just found Thor's brother, the Norse God of Mischief; you've saved Loki."

Jane's mind flashed to memories of six months ago; her mind went straight back to the memory of the Destroyer.

_Loki…he was the one that sent the Destroyer. The one that broke Thor's neck and nearly obliterated Puente Antiguo_, Jane thought. The colour drained from her face. This news rehashed the hurt she had felt when she saw Thor fly across the street, hardly alive.

"_What_?" Jane managed to say. She looked between Darcy and Erik. Darcy was just as surprised as Jane was. Concern was etched across Erik's face.

"How? That can't be right!" Jane said, her mind spinning. She glanced over at the sleeping figure on the couch. He looked so peaceful; she couldn't understand how _he_ could have done those terrible deeds so many months ago. In her mind, Jane had pictured Loki to be much more menacing, and more…well, _more_. Loki looked so slight compared to Thor, and they looked nothing alike; in fact, she couldn't find a single physical similarity other than height.

The silence that filled the room was deafening. Jane's face had fallen; her brows furrowed together in confusion and denial.

"Jane, it's really him. I promise you," He sighed. "Look; remember those stories I told you about? The ones that were read to me as a child?" Erik asked. Jane nodded.

"Well, in those stories, Loki was always described as the antithesis of Thor, especially in appearance. He always made trouble for others just for spite He's dangerous, Jane," Erik said urgently.

"Yeah, but you said that about Thor, and look how much we were wrong about him!" Jane said. At this point, she realized she was grasping at straws, but it was not something she was unaccustomed to.

"Jane, that was different. Now that we know these things exist, that _gods_ exist, the game has effectively changed. You saw what he sent after Thor six months ago; you _saw_ what he commanded it to do! And there were three other Norse gods that tried to battle it! Could you imagine what he would be like now that he is physically _here_? And how _vulnerable_ we are without Thor or his companions?" Erik tried to reason with her. Jane didn't want to give in to Erik's argument, she knew but he had a point. The room became silent again as they contemplated their situation.

"So, what are we supposed to do with him then?" Darcy asked, breaking the silence. Her question interrupted Jane's train of thought. Darcy looked between Jane and Erik, searching for an answer. Jane and Erik exchanged glances, but did not say anything.

"Well, if you can't decide now, I'm going back to bed," Darcy said, departing from the main lab. Jane finally spoke after a moment.

"Darcy has a point, you know. If you don't want him here, what are we supposed to do with him? I mean, if he's anything like Thor, he won't want any hospitals poking and prodding at him, and I don't think it's even humane to leave him back in the desert to fend for himself. Plus, it's not as if I could just call Thor and tell him to collect Loki," Jane reasoned out loud. She cast a sideways glance at her mentor. He only sighed.

"We could keep him here for a few days."

"That is out of the question. Did you not hear a word I just said, Jane? He's a wanted man, now that he's on Earth, I might add," Erik said, thinking of S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Erik, it would only be for a little while; only until he gets better! He's in no shape whatsoever to harm _anyone_, so why not just let him heal here?" Jane asked. Erik didn't immediately respond. Jane gave him a pleading look and bit her lip. That usually did the trick when she was a child, and even worked every once in a while now. Erik rested his jaw in the palm of his hand.

"Alright, Jane. Alright. But you have to promise me that once he's finished healing, he leaves. Understood?" Erik said sternly. Jane nodded. He walked over to Jane and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"I'm going to get some sleep. You should too," he suggested gently before leaving Jane with her thoughts. Erik knew deep in his heart that compassion was not the reason she decided to keep Loki at the lab. He shook his head and walked back to his room.

oOoOo

After Erik had left, Jane sat down once again in the chair next to the couch. A million thoughts ran through her head, and she couldn't keep up with all of them. She ran a nervous hand through her thick chestnut hair, trying to think of what to do next.

As she thought back to what Erik had said earlier, about the man being Loki Odinson, she gazed over at the god sleeping on her couch. She couldn't quite wrap her head around the idea that she was harboring the God of Mischief in her own lab.

She sighed and put her head in her hands. For the first time in her life since her parents had died, Jane felt at a loss; she couldn't leave him at a hospital and hope for the best. Even if he did allow the doctors to help him, there would most likely be abnormalities that proved he wasn't human, and there might be more testing. _Like a lab rat_, Jane thought.

A part of her was torn; Jane revisited the day the Destroyer came down to Earth and nearly killed everyone in its path, and all she could feel was hurt and anger with Loki. The mere idea that he would kill his brother, as well as the lives of innocent people, with or without a reason, was unfathomable to her. That part of her wanted so desperately to turn in Loki to S.H.I.E.L.D., to let them deal with him in any way they saw fit.

Then, there was the more scientific, more logical part of her that always searched for answers. Hungered for them. Jane wanted to know more about Asgard, and the concept of traveling between worlds. She wanted to know about every possibility in her theory and whether or not it was true. But, what she wanted most of all was to know more about Thor; Jane desperately hoped that Loki could tell her that Thor was not dead, and that he was going to uphold his promise and come back for her.

Jane's breathing hitched as she tried to push the negative thoughts away. All of her life, she had to live with the negativity of others; she couldn't afford to give in to pessimism now. She stood up quietly and walked over to the kitchen to turn off the light. Exhaustion struck her where she stood, and she knew she had to get some sleep. Instead of going back to her trailer, she decided to sleep in the lab, just in case Loki woke up. Jane settled in the lounge chair next to the couch and began to drift off to sleep.

She had made her decision, albeit with a heaviness in her heart. Jane decided she would care for Loki until he recovered, but she needed answers, one way or another. And she was going to get them, even if it killed her.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I keep forgetting to say this (and you all already know this) but I do NOT own anything related to Thor.**

_They stood face to face in the weapons vault; Odin stood upon the steps and Loki looked up toward him from the level ground. Odin glanced at Loki passively, his face not revealing a single emotion. His breathing had become labored, but Loki was too distracted to notice. Two words had circled his mind, and he could not shake them._

_Frost Giant._

_That is what he was, what he always had been. Loki had always known he was different, but he never could have imagined that he was a Frost Giant._

_The hurt swelled within him, threatening to engulf him. He shot a pained look at the Allfather. The man who had raised him in his kingdom as one of his own and never gave a second thought of who Loki was. Tears threatened to spill down from his glassy eyes. The man he trusted the most, had lied to him. About everything. It made sense to him now; Loki finally understood why Odin had been so distant with him all throughout his childhood._

"_You could have told me what I was from the beginning. Why didn't you?" Loki asked, trying to steady his voice._

"_You are my son. My blood. I wanted only to protect you from the truth," Odin replied weakly. Loki struggled to respond without emotionally cracking._

"_Because I…I am the monster parents tell their children about at night?" Loki managed to choke out._

oOoOo

Loki's eyes flew open. It took him a moment to get his bearings. His surroundings were unfamiliar, and his heart momentarily panicked as he tried to work out where he was. Loki lay in darkness once again. He closed his eyes and thought hard about where he was and how he had gotten here.

_Blinding light_. The Bifrost.

_Darkness_. Midgard.

It was after the darkness in which Loki had difficulty remembering how he came to be in this strange place.

_A voice_. _Pleading and insistent._ Loki opened his eyes and suddenly remembered that a mortal woman had found him. _She must have brought me here_, Loki thought to himself. He felt paralyzed; his legs felt like lead, and his arms as if they were filled with sand. When he finally thought he had enough strength to sit up, the stabbing pain in his abdomen screamed in protest. He sighed, and resigned himself to resting once again.

_I might as well think of a way to escape this godforsaken place_, Loki thought to himself bitterly. He began to think of where he could possibly go, but his Odin's disappointment stung fresh in his mind.

_No, Loki_.

Loki began to sweat, and his breathing became shallow. He pressed his hand to his abdomen and winced. Something was definitely broken, and he had a feeling that he was bleeding internally. He moved his hand to the throbbing pain at the base of his skull and gingerly pressed upon the spot where he felt the most pain. As he pulled his hand back, his fingertips were coated with blood.

Loki devoted the little energy that he had to healing what he could. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, as steadily as he could. He cleared his mind and thought of what injuries he supposed he had, and worked on fixing them.

A few minutes passed, and Loki was becoming frustrated. _Why is my magic not working?_ He asked himself. He could always tell when his magic began to take its course: it felt as bare as a whisper, but it was always there. But, somehow, this was an exception. Loki did not feel the familiar sensation of magic coursing through his veins. Loki clenched his fists and resisted the urge to scream in frustration. He tried to focus again, but even the idea of summoning magic withdrew from him.

_What is happening to me?_

oOoOo

Jane woke up the next morning to the early desert sun beaming through her lab. She had a rough few hours of sleep. No surprise there. Her neck hurt from sleeping in a curled up position on the lounge chair, and her legs had cramped up. She stretched, and looked over on the couch. Her heartbeat picked up speed, but returned to its original pace. For a small moment, Jane had nearly forgotten everything that had transpired the previous night.

Loki was still asleep on the couch. _Exhausted, no doubt_, Jane thought to herself sympathetically. Almost as soon as the sympathy reached her heart, she pushed it away and reminded herself who was sleeping in the lab. Instead of dwelling on painful memories of six months passed, Jane stood up and walked to the kitchen to make coffee. Neither Erik nor Darcy was awake yet, but she made enough coffee for everyone just in case. Once the coffee had finished brewing, Jane poured herself some in a mug and decided to sit on the roof for a little while.

Jane slowly made her way up there slowly, her body still waking up from a nearly sleepless night. Even after bringing Loki back to the lab, Jane still couldn't sleep without having nightmares of every worst possible thing that could have happened to Thor when he returned to Asgard and might have prevented him from returning to her.

Jane's throat tightened as the thoughts of her nightmares began to reach for her heart. Steeling herself, Jane resolved to think of other things. And really, she had to; although she had decided to care for Loki until he was fully recovered, she had not thought of what specific information she wanted from him. She hoped that she could explain her theory about inter-dimensional travel well enough to Loki and that, perhaps, he could validate or declare it nonsensical. Jane remembered reading in one of the books she had read about Norse mythology that Loki was one of the more, if not the most cunning Norse god. Despite his trickster nature, he was said to be extremely intelligent. Jane could only hope that he could help her.

Shaking her head at the seeming impossibility of having to be hospitable to Loki, she sits down in a lawn chair and watches the sun as it rises further in the pink sky. Jane typically did not have one mean bone in her body, but she found it difficult to think of Loki in any way other than evil.

_Maybe Erik was right; maybe it's not such a good idea that we keep him here_, Jane thought to herself. She sipped her warm coffee and sighed. These next few weeks were going to be a challenge; Jane could already tell by the level of unease that was palpable when she re-entered the lab.

oOoOo

As Jane stepped back onto the first floor of the lab, Erik and Darcy both sat at the kitchen table, drinking coffee. Darcy was still waking up, but Erik's expression was wary as he gazed over toward the couch. Jane followed his gaze, and saw that Loki was stirring. The unease flickered in her heart, but she pushed the feeling away. She had to steel her resolve and suck it up; if Jane wanted answered, she knew she had to work for them.

Walking over to the coffee machine, Jane refilled her mug and poured some into a new mug. She then made her way over to the couch and sat on the coffee table right in front of it. She glanced back at Erik, and the expression on his face, she could tell, was a warning to her. _Be careful, Jane._

Loki's eyes opened slowly, and he seemed to be taking in his surroundings. Jane decided it was now or never.

"Morning. How are you feeling?" she asked hesitantly. His gaze fell on her, cold and calculating. His facial expression remained neutral as he searched her face. His brilliant emerald eyes locked with hers, and it took a moment for Jane to realize that he was waiting for some sort of explanation as to why he was talking with her. She shook her head as if to shake the fog from her mind.

"Sorry, forgetting my manners. My name is Jane. Jane Foster. I brought you here yesterday after I saw you hit Earth," she added. His eyes widened, and his jaw was set. His mouth had pulled tightly, and he looked at her with an unmatched intensity. Loki felt that this was a stroke of good fortune; perhaps he could exact his revenge upon Thor now that Jane was within his grasp. He said nothing, waiting for Jane to continue.

"Well, I already know who you are. You're Loki Odinson, Norse God of Mischief," she said with a hint of resentment. Loki tensed up at the surname Jane used. _Odinson_. He tried to sit up, but Jane protested. Instead, he propped himself up on his elbows, though only slightly.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. You're banged up pretty bad from the impact after hitting Earth. I didn't really want to inspect your injuries without you being awake, so I don't really know where else you're hurt," Jane stated. Still, Loki did not respond. She assumed that Loki was assessing her; her assumption was correct. Loki was taking in everything that she had said into account and was determining what use she may be to him. He knew that he had to plan everything out carefully; he always did. The only difference was that he was completely powerless to do anything, leaving him in a helpless situation.

"Look, I don't expect you to appreciate it, but I have an offer for you. I'm willing to help you recover form your physical injuries and give you a roof over your head temporarily in exchange for information," Jane continued, her expression changing from pleasant to business. Loki arched an eyebrow.

"What kind of information?" he asked. It was the first time that Jane had heard him speak. His speech was well articulated, and had a hint of an unfamiliar accent.

At first, he was suspicious, but suspicion soon turned into genuine curiosity. What could he possibly have to offer her in terms of information that would prove useful to her? Suddenly, Loki put two and two together: she wanted information about Thor. Jane shifted slightly, but Loki could tell she was feeling uncomfortable.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there. But for now, I'm offering assistance. Do we have a deal?" Jane asked flatly. Loki looked at her warily, but eventually nodded.

"Good. We'll have a look at your injuries later today. Sound okay?" Jane offered, her tone of voice much softer. Loki nodded once again, and Jane stood up, walking back to the kitchen. He was being watched by two other figures that he had not noticed before. He chastised himself for his lack of awareness. The older man's gaze was trained on him, a mix of suspicion and uncertainty. The second, a young woman about Jane's age, seemed engrossed with him.

Easing back down on his back, Loki flung his arm over his eyes to avoid the stares from the additional two people in the room. He had to begin planning on finding a way to escape this place. The less he lingered here, the better. Loki then decided that whatever information he decided to give Jane would be halfhearted and vague; maybe completely shut her off. He did not want to give her the satisfaction of thinking he owed her. Loki owed no one.


	5. Chapter 5

Jane found herself wandering toward the roof of the lab again. It was midday, and she was debating whether or not she wanted to help Loki just yet. The day progressively became warmer, and Jane shed the sweater from around her shoulders. The desert sun felt nice on her skin, and she closed her eyes, leaning back on the lawn chair. For a few minutes, Jane was able to have a few moments of uninterrupted silence before the rooftop door clicked shut. The shuffling footsteps on the roof were familiar to her, and she opened her eyes. Erik sat next to her on the second lawn chair.

"Afternoon, Jane," Erik said. His tone of voice seemed troubled, but not upset with her.

"Hey, Erik," Jane said with a smile. The silence hung between them, expectant. Jane, feeling slightly apprehensive, was the first to break the silence.

"Erik, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Jane. Anything," he replied reverently, adopting a fatherly tone. Since her parents had died so long ago, Erik automatically filled the position for the father figure in her life. Erik had always been there for her every time she had ever needed him.

"Do you think I did the right thing? Be honest." She sat up and turned to face Erik. His brows were knitted in thought. She could tell that he was trying to answer carefully. More silence.

"What are you thinking? Please tell me," Jane asked. She didn't like it when she couldn't have the straightforward answers.

"Would you rather hear the logical answer or the human answer?" Erik asked thoughtfully.

"I don't know. Both, I s'pose," Jane replied.

"Well, logically, no. I don't think you did the right thing, and I'm sure you can understand why. He's extremely dangerous," Erik stated, his answer confident.

"And what's your other argument?" Jane pressed.

"Well, I think…I think that maybe you did do the right thing. As much as I don't agree with it, the pros seem to outweigh the cons for the present," Erik replied hesitantly.

"Really?" Jane asked, her tone of voice slightly more hopeful. Erik nodded.

"Do you think I handled it well? Earlier, I mean," Jane continued.

"Very well. I have to commend you, actually. To be honest, Loki frightens me," Erik says with a strained laugh. "My parents used to threaten me as a child that if I stepped out of line, Loki would pay me a visit. But you, Jane, you're unafraid. Brilliant work," Erik said with a smile. Jane laughed.

"Has he said anything else?" Erik shook his head. Jane stood up.

"I guess it's time to check up on him, isn't it?" Jane said. Erik stood up next to her and followed her downstairs.

As they reached the first level of the lab, Loki's arm was still draped over his eyes. The midday sun was seeping in through the surrounding windows, and Darcy had left the kitchen. Erik lightly grabbed Jane's elbow as a black government vehicle approached the lab.

"I have to meet with a Coulson and a few S.H.I.E.L.D. specialists about a new…development." Before he could continue, Jane interrupted him.

"Development? With my theory?" Jane asked eagerly.

"Not entirely sure yet. Coulson says I'll be briefed once I get to the base, but I don't know much else. It may have something to do with it, judging from the urgent phone call I received this morning," Erik said.

"Will you keep me updated? And please try to convince Coulson to let me in on the research team? Please? It is _my_ theory, after all," Jane said, feeling slightly disappointed. Erik nodded.

"I'll see what I can do, Jane," Erik said before leaving. He plants a light kiss on her forehead and turns to leave the lab. Jane sighed and watched as the car pulled away. Despite having formulated the Foster Theory (it was named after her, after all), Jane was still not permitted to work with S.H.I.E.L.D.; every time Jane had asked why she wasn't included in any further research. Their exclusion made her angry and hopeless at the same time.

Jane was brought back to reality when she heard a muted grunt across the lab. She turned to see Loki trying to prop himself up. Jane raised an eyebrow, shaking her head.

"I thought I already told you that trying to sit up wasn't a good idea? Or maybe Asgardian princes aren't used to helpful suggestions?" Jane remarked as she made her way to the kitchen for clean dishrags and a bowl of warm water. Loki did not respond. Jane carried an armful of dishrags, the bowl of water, and the first aid kit over to the coffee table and set everything down. She pulled a chair closer to where Loki was, and sat down.

"Or is it just weakness that you're unfamiliar with?" Jane continued. She opened the first aid kit and looked up at Loki. His facial expression was unchanged, but his eyes held the missing emotions. Surprise. Resentment. Anger. Jane sighed.

"Sorry. Feeling a bit off," Jane apologized, shaking her head. She knew that her biting rhetoric was not the way to gain the information she wanted. Loki still did not respond, but his eyebrows lowered, making his facial expression more neutral. Silence hung in the air.

"Okay, um…where are you feeling the most pain?" Jane asked, trying to dissolve the silence. She grabbed one of the dishrags and began to soak it in the bowl of warm water. Loki looked at her warily, as a caged animal might look at its captor. Jane sighed, and wringed the excess water out of the towel.

"You have to trust me. Please," Jane said softly. Loki's guard began to lessen, and he gave up on defiance.

"My abdomen, mainly. There's a pain at the base of my skull, but most likely nothing more than a cut," Loki said, trying to waive off Jane's attentions. She raised her eyebrow and shot him a suspicious look.

"Uh huh. Does it hurt anywhere else?" Jane continued. Loki shook his head, still watching her every move. Jane moved to examine his head before his torso.

"Point to where you feel pain." Loki did as he was told, but Jane couldn't get a good enough look at it. She decided she would look at it later.

"This is gonna be a little painful, but I might need you to sit up just a little bit. You're hair is so dark, and I can't see where the wound is," Jane kneeled on the floor as Loki sat up, grimacing.

"You're right; this isn't too bad," Jane confirmed. She began to clean it, gently moving the damp cloth around the wound. After a few minutes, Jane sat back in the chair and Loki leaned back down.

"I have to look at your abdomen now, but you're going to have to take off your shirt and…armor," Jane said, not entirely sure that's what he would call it. Loki raised his eyebrow.

"Look, I don't have superhuman vision, so I can't exactly see what's wrong through your clothes. Off," Jane said, blushing. Loki began to sit up again, and Jane moved to support his weight. The armor was the most difficult to take off; Jane couldn't quite determine where it began or ended. After a few moments (and impatient instructions from Loki), Jane was able to take off the armor. All that was left was a forest green tunic made of linen. She could see that there were a few cuts across his chest and had lightly bled through the tunic, but nothing major.

Jane shifted so that she could take a look at his back. She placed her hand lightly on his lower waist just where abdomen met ribcage, and pulled it back immediately. Blood soaked her fingers. She rolled up the tunic, and found a large gash running from his right side diagonally toward the center of his abdomen; she guessed it was about six or seven inches in length. Jane took a damp dishrag and began to clear away some of the blood from around the cut so that she could see it much better. As she cleaned away the blood, the wound looked cleaner, but still as bad as before. Picking up the first aid kit, Jane opened it up and took out the bottle of hydrogen peroxide and sutures. Jane had briefly learned to stitch up cuts; her mother was a nurse, so they never needed to go to a hospital for things like that.

"I need you to hold your tunic so I can stitch this up. Oh, and this is going to be a little painful," Jane added. Loki's expression remained unchanged as he did what he was told; Jane poured a good amount of peroxide on a different towel and gently dabbed at the cut.

"Tell me, what that what was going to be painful?" Loki asked sardonically.

"Nope, but this will," Jane said without looking up, as the stuck the needle through his skin. Loki tensed up and inhaled sharply. She was right; he hadn't been expecting that. Jane worked deftly as stitching him up, but she knew this would take a while. Loki tried to breathe in, but a sharp pain caused him to wince.

"Be careful, Jane Foster!" Loki spat, quickly becoming irritated.

"Stop squirming, then!" Jane shot back.

_Insufferable_, Loki thought to himself, brooding.

"Sorry I snapped. It's just, this cut is in a strange place, so it's a little difficult to sew up, especially with you moving around," Jane explained, her tone of voice suddenly softer. Loki sighed, but said nothing in response.

A few minutes later, Jane finished, throwing the sutures in the first aid kit and exhaling. _Done_, she thought to herself as she sat back up. She gazed at Loki's bare chest, and her brow furrowed; there were faint traces of rune-type marks, along with several scars that were scattered everywhere, from his collarbone to lower stomach.

"What is it, mortal?" Loki asked sharply. Jane blinked a few times, and met his glare.

"How did you come by so many scars? And what are these…_markings_?" Jane asked, trying to hide her fascination.

"I am much older than you, Jane Foster. Scars are earned in battles, and I have been in numerous, far too numerous for you to begin to measure," Loki replied coldly. Ignoring the remark, Jane proceeded.

"What about these marks?" Jane asked, reaching to touch them. Loki snatched her hand by the wrist, and held it tightly.

"It would serve you well, Jane Foster, not to poke around in business that is not your own," He remarked darkly. He gazed into Jane's warm eyes, and she met his. Jane held her breath, hoping Loki would give in to her persistence. He released her wrist, realizing he was cutting off blood circulation. Jane broke his gaze and looked down at the floor.

"Let me see your head again," Jane demanded softly, trying to ignore the heat that flooded her face. Loki smirked. Her small fingers moved around the base of his skull, searching for any broken bone or cut. Her fingers felt cool against his throbbing head, soothing the pain little by little. He closed his eyes, and evened his breathing.

Jane's fingertips came into contact with a cut; it was not as severe as the one she found on his abdomen, and did not require stitches. She cleaned the blood around the area, trying her best to clear away as much of the dried blood as she could.

"Well, there's not too much I can do for this cut; it feels pretty deep, but not enough for more stitches, so you'll be fine," Jane said, standing up from the couch. He opened his eyes slowly, and gazed up at her, waiting for anything else she had to say.

"I think there might be some internal bleeding, but I don't know if it's such a good idea to take you to a hospital," Jane speculated, eyeing Loki carefully. He shook his head, just as she had anticipated.

"Well, when the cut on your abdomen heals a little bit, you might want to shower, just to get the blood out of your hair. I have some extra clothes for you to borrow; they might be a little large but I think they'll fit, for the most part," Jane suggested, thinking of Thor. Loki nodded slowly.

"If you need me, I'll be working around here for today, or in the back. If you need me, just call," Jane said with a sigh, and turned to walk away.

"Thank you, Jane Foster," Loki articulated, bringing a small smile to Jane's lips.


	6. Chapter 6

"Have you found out anything about him yet?" Darcy asked in a whisper, leaning over the lab table. Jane glanced over at the couch and shook her head.

"Well, when I stitched him up, I noticed he had these strange markings on his chest. I mean, he had scars, but these were different; they looked like runes," Jane remarked. Darcy eyed her curiously.

"Runes? Really?" Darcy asked, curious. Jane nodded.

"I wish I knew what they meant," Jane lamented and then returned to reviewing the sheet of formulas and theorems sitting on the lab table. Darcy's gaze swept around the lab, looking for something to entertain herself with. Her internship was nearly finished with Jane, so she felt bittersweet. Jane felt the same. Sighing, Jane gave up on trying to focus on improving the Foster Theory.

"Hey, where's Erik?" Darcy asked, suddenly realizing that the older man had not been present for quite some time. It was nearly six p.m., and Erik had yet to return.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. picked him up today. He's been asked to work with some scientists on my theory," Jane replied, the feelings of disappointment edging in her voice.

"Really? I don't even see why they don't take you on as the lead scientist. You _did_ come up with the damn thing, after all," Darcy said, crossing her arms. Jane only shrugged.

"I asked Erik to appeal on my behalf to work in the lab. I hope he's successful," Jane said. Darcy nodded in agreement.

"Me too; I wanna meet Tony Stark so _badly_! He's _so_ good looking," Darcy sighed happily. Jane shook her head and laughed.

"Of course; I knew you didn't want me to work in the lab because it's _my_ theory they're talking about right now; nah, that _can't _be your reasoning, Darcy," Jane said sarcastically.

"Oh, come on Jane! You're thinking the same thing I'm thinking. Besides, you know I want you to work with S.H.I.E.L.D. just as much as the next guy." Darcy shrugged. Jane only rolled her eyes.

Jane turned her attention away from Darcy and back to Loki. He seemed to be feeling much better since that morning. He was able to sit up, and he had pulled his knees closer to his chest. He rested his elbows on his knees and looked through the lab windows to the setting sun over the desert hills. Loki hadn't eaten anything all day, but she knew he was starting to feel hungry; the uncomfortable shifting in his seat every once in a while became more frequent and was a tell-tale sign.

Jane walked over to the kitchen and began to pull down pots and soup ingredients. _Keep it simple, Jane,_ she thought to herself. Just as she began to pour ingredients in the pot, the lab door burst open. She jumped, and Darcy gasped. Loki whipped his head around to the source of the racket.

"Erik! God, you scared me!" Jane said furrowing her eyebrows.

"Yeah! What gives? Where's the fire?" Darcy asked, feeling irritated at Erik's sudden return.

"Jane! They've accepted it!" Erik said breathlessly. Jane raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Accepted what, Erik?" Jane asked.

"Your appeal, Jane; S.H.I.E.L.D. agreed to let you work in the labs!" Jane dropped the stirring spoon in her hands.

Loki looked between Jane and Erik. She had frozen up, and was solely focused on the man who had just entered the building. Loki felt utterly confused. _Lab? Working on what?_ He silently observed the two. Just as he was contemplating asking what the older man was talking about, Jane ran to the older man and hugged him tightly, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Erik! I can't believe it!" Jane said, the grin spreading on her face. Erik hugged her tightly in return.

"Congratulations, Jane! You're parents would be so proud of you," Erik said softly. Jane pulled away from the hug, and smiled.

"Thanks, Erik," Jane said gratefully. Erik nodded.

"Well, be ready for tomorrow. Coulson will be here to pick you up tomorrow in the afternoon." Jane nodded. Erik planted a kiss on her cheek and mumbled an excuse for going to bed so early. Jane turned to face Darcy, and a wide smile spread across her face. Darcy gave her two thumbs up, and Jane covered her mouth, afraid she might scream of happiness. She walked over to the pot and stirred its contents, fighting the urge to giggle.

After she was done, she reached in the overhead cabinets and pulled out three bowls, and then distributed the soup for Darcy, Loki, and herself. Darcy picked up her bowl and told Jane she was going to sleep. Jane carried the two remaining bowls over to the couch and sat in a chair next to it.

"Careful, it's a little warm, but it's good for you. Eat up," Jane said. Loki eyed the contents of the bowl warily, but eventually took a spoonful. Feeling that it was safe enough to eat, Loki continued.

"So, we made a deal that if I helped you, you would give me answers; I think I should be able to ask you some things now, right?" Jane asked tentatively. Loki glanced at her; his eyes flickered with amusement, and he nodded.

"I suppose you would be correct, Jane Foster. Ask me what you will," Loki said. Jane's eyes brightened at receiving his permission to ask him what she wanted, and she thought about what she wanted to ask. Her heart wanted to ask about Thor, but she did not want to make herself a target for his own amusement. Loki looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to speak.

"Why are you here?" Jane asked, feeling that was a neutral enough question.

"Hmm…I can't remember _too_ many details, but I do believe that a small woman, quite similar in stature to you, Lady Foster, managed to carry me from one unfamiliar place to another. How she managed to do such a thing is beyond me," he answered with a smirk. Jane narrowed her eyes.

"Don't be smart, Loki. You know what I mean," Jane said sharply. Loki returned her gaze. _How dare she challenge him?_ He straightened his posture.

"You really wish to know?" Loki asked coldly. Jane nodded.

"Well, then, I should start at the beginning. After Prince Thor had returned to Asgard, he uncovered my plan to destroy Jotunheim, the realm of the Frost Giants, and he attempted to stop me. I told him that he was a fool to think that he could stop what was already in motion, but he had grown wiser, and endeavored to destroy the bridge so that the BiFrost could not destroy Jotumheim, as I had intended. I should like to assume that his change in heart was because of you; when he returned, he was not the same simple-minded brother I had grown up with.

"He successfully destroyed the BiFrost and the bridge that led to it; I fell from the bridge into space, and that is how I ended up here, on Midgard," Loki said bitterly.

_No, Loki_.

Jane was silent. She could tell that Loki wasn't telling her everything. She stared at her hands. Loki could see from the concentration written on her face that Jane had so many more questions. Perhaps he would indulge her, just this once.

"Something weighs on your mind, Lady Foster?" Loki asked. His expression remained neutral, not betraying a single emotion.

"It's just…I'm not too familiar with Jotunheim, but I don't understand why destroying an entire world would solve anything. Why did you do it?"

"It needed to be done," Loki replied simply.

"But what does that solve? What have the people of Jotunheim done to deserve that kind of fate?" Jane asked, feeling more confused. Loki was silent. He closed his eyes, fighting the anguish in his heart. _She could never understand_, he thought to himself.

"Loki?" Jane reached for him.

"What?" he snapped. Jane pulled her hand back.

"I…I was just thinking, maybe you should get some rest now. It's getting late," Jane said quietly. She picked up both soup bowls and brought them to the kitchen sink. She filled up a glass of water and brought it to the coffee table.

"Get some sleep. You'll need it," Jane said, setting down the glass of water. She brought over some blankets she had pulled from the storage closet earlier in the day. Jane turned off the lights in the lab and left; she was tempted to lock up the lab, but she decided against it. If Loki needed her for whatever reason, he could find her in her trailer.

oOoOo

Loki's sleep was devoid of any dreams, but there was a strange presence of an unknown energy that ebbed and flowed at the edge of his consciousness. The energy pulsated at the very core of his being, and he could sense that the source of the energy was nearby. Loki awoke with a start, and knew one thing was certain: he knew of a way to regain his magic.


	7. Chapter 7

Days passed. A week. Two weeks. Loki could feel his power grow stronger every day; he had been able to heal his internal injuries, and was greatly improving. He could move around much more, and was no longer limited to sitting on the couch. Jane had even offered him the spare bedroom at the back of the lab. And, that was another thing: Jane.

Over the past two weeks, Jane had grown…distant; he hardly ever saw her anymore. At first, Loki noticed that Jane had an open mind to everything he had told her, but he felt that she was becoming further and further away from his grasp. In a way, Loki understood why; the older man, Erik, had warned her about Loki, and she did well to listen to him. Even so, it did nothing to quell the slight emotional confusion he felt when he thought of the mortal woman his foolish brother had fallen in love with.

Jane had felt overly tired for the past two weeks; ever since S.H.I.E.L.D. had taken her on as one of their lead scientists to work on the Cube, she was both mentally and physically exhausted. Most nights, Jane didn't return to the lab until the early hours of the morning; some nights, she would not return at all. Everything she had ever wanted was in her grasp, and she wasn't about to let it go.

oOoOo

It was late, and the lab was dark. Loki was in the spare bedroom, but he had not fallen asleep. He heard the lab doors open and shut, along with tense, hushed whispers. He stood up from the bed and padded over to the door. He focused his newly regained magic on the conversation the two people in the lab were having, and listened carefully.

Loki could distinguish right away that it was an argument between Jane and Erik. Jane's familiar warm voice had turned cold, and he could tell Erik was trying to reason with her.

"Jane, you _knew_ this discussion was coming! Why are you so upset?" Erik asked her.

"Erik, we can't just _throw_ him out! Where would he go? I can't just let him wander into the desert alone!" Jane exclaimed. They were talking about him.

"I don't know Jane, but you _promised_ it would only be until he was healed. Do I have to remind you who we're dealing with?" Erik whispered fiercely.

"But, he _promised_ me answers! I can't just let it go now, not when I'm so close!"

"Jane, I know you miss him, but think about what you're saying! Do you really think Loki is going to tell you how to reach Asgard?" Erik asked. Jane fell silent. A sigh.

"Face it, Jane; Thor isn't coming back." A muffled sob. Footsteps quickly approached his bedroom door, and Loki jumped back. The footsteps passed and faded down toward the end of the corridor. A tired set of footsteps approached the hallway and turned directly across from his room. A door clicking shut.

Loki felt an unfamiliar emotion welling up inside him. As he sat back down on the edge of his bed, he couldn't, for the life of him, decide what he should do.

oOoOo

Jane ran to the roof, trying to hold in her tears. The door burst open, and the cool desert air greeted her warm face. She breathed it in and tried to calm herself.

She didn't want to admit it, but Erik was right; she was chasing after the impossible. Although Jane never ruled out impossibility, she had to believe Erik; he had every reason to be completely right. Jane was chasing a dream.

Jane put her head in her hands and cried. She cried in frustration, in anger, and in despair. _Why did I ever believe him?_ She felt stupid.

The roof door clicked open and shut. Footsteps approached her slowly.

"Erik, can we talk about this some other time? I already know you're right; I don't want to hear it right now," Jane said, voice broken. The footsteps stopped, but continued to come closer. Jane sighed and lifted her head up to face him.

"Erik, _please_, not toni—" Jane started to say, but stopped at the silhouette that stood against the darkness in the starry sky.

Loki.

Jane sat there, dumbfounded for a second, but snapped back to reality. She wiped the tears from her eyes and sniffed. Loki sat down on the lawn chair next to hers, saying nothing.

"I…I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you," Jane said lamely. Loki remained silent for a moment, but spoke.

"You know, you apologize quite often for someone who does nothing wrong," Loki remarked.

"I'm…" Jane started, but stopped. "I guess it's just my go to phrase." Jane shrugged and looked at her feet. Silence.

"What are you doing still awake? You should probably get some sleep," Jane suggested; it was mainly so she could have some peace, but she imagined Loki must be tired.

"I should suggest the same for you, Lady Foster," Loki replied. He looked at her, but she did not meet his gaze. His resolve momentarily faltered.

"What is on your mind, Lady Jane?" Loki asked, although he had a rough idea of what it was. His tone was slightly softer, but not enough for Jane to notice. She didn't immediately respond, but something in her heart told her she could trust him.

"It's just…I'm tired of working hard for something and not getting any results. I'm tired of having ideas that no one believes in just because they're considered a waste of time." Loki remained silent and somewhat attentive. He could not fathom why he was as concerned as he was about what Jane was feeling, but something within him forced him to listen.

"Ever since I had begun to develop my theory, I've had scientists turn me away, calling me foolish and silly. No one has ever taken me seriously in the scientific community. And then one night, when I was with Erik and Darcy, we were out in the desert, looking for the next light storm to appear, when the light storm touched down.

"I had told Erik every detail about the light storms, and when he saw it, he instantly believed me. But, what we weren't expecting was your brother," Jane said quietly. She looked up at Loki, looking for signs of disinterest, but he glanced at her, waiting for her to continue.

"Thor was the only one who was able to tell me what is was like to be in that storm, and we kept him here so that I could further develop my theory. He…he was the only person who ever really encouraged me to pursue it; he didn't laugh at me or scorn what I said. I wasn't entirely sure whether or not he knew what I was talking about, but he did," Jane continued. She pulled out a small black leather notebook and held it out to Loki. He took it, curious to know what was inside. Many pages were dog-eared, corners ripped off, and several other pages had coffee rings on them.

Loki flipped through the pages slowly; every once in a while, he would stop and peruse, genuinely interested in the detailed writings in the notebook. He eventually came across a rudimentary drawing of a tree that traced the outlines of what appeared to be several planets. Loki lifted and eyebrow and showed it to Jane.

"Ah, yes; Thor drew that as a way of showing me that each of the nine realms are all interconnected by Yggdrasil, or the World Tree. It makes sense, in a way," Jane explained. Loki's gaze returned to the open pages of the little black book.

"Well, that may have been the one lesson I taught him that he remembered well," Loki remarked wistfully. Jane looked over at him, searching his face in confusion.

"You taught him that?"

"Yes. Thor didn't easily understand intellectual pursuits, but instead preferred combat. When we were children, I often had to review the things we were taught in the day with him in the evening, and I had to make it simple enough for him to understand. We often played to our strengths, and still do. He is stronger in combat, but too quick to fight. Well, _was_ too quick to fight. You must have had quite the effect on him, Lady Foster, to change the ways of a Norse god in a short few Midgardian days." Loki's gaze grew intense, and Jane looked away.

"I don't really know how. I think it all changed for him when you told him his father was dead," Jane responded coldly.

"It had to be done; Thor could not have returned otherwise, and he would still be the same brutish boy, not the man he became here in this desert." Jane met Loki's gaze with anger in her eyes.

"You don't just _tell_ someone that their father is dead! Do you even remotely _know_ what that does to their psyche?" Jane asked incredulously. Loki's eyes hardened.

"Yes, I do. More than any being should ever know. More than _you_ could ever understand," he spat. Jane challenged his gaze but said nothing.

"_I_ can't understand _loss_?" Jane asked. At first, the anger bubbled up inside of her, but it soon fell away. Loki could tell he hit a raw nerve with Jane; her jaw was set, but her resolve faltered. Strangely enough, the expression of raw emotion on her face, though hardly visible in the light of the stars, made him regret his venomous words. Jane stood up, saying nothing, and walked to the rooftop door. She opened it, but paused.

"You aren't the only one who's lost everything."


	8. Chapter 8

Jane worked at the home lab for a majority of the next day. Agent Coulson called her, telling her that a majority of those working closely with the Cube were not permitted to be in the S.H.I.E.L.D. lab; Tony Stark needed the lab for a few days, and S.H.I.E.L.D. was more than happy to oblige him.

Every once in a while, Jane would check in on Loki. He had not spoken to her all that day, after their conversation on the roof. He wandered from the spare room to the living room every once in a while, but only to return to the former.

It was nearly evening once again, and Jane sighed. Darcy had gone to the city to meet with some of her college friends, and promised to be back late. Erik had been gone, but Jane was so absorbed in her work that she couldn't recall where he had said he was going. That left her alone with Loki.

She looked toward the hallway that led to the bedrooms and the rooftop. Momentarily, she debated whether or not she wanted to invite Loki out to the lab to join her. Before she could make her decision, the spare bedroom door opened and closed again. Jane stiffened and inhaled sharply. She moved away from the lab table and to the kitchen, putting distance between herself and Loki.

Loki tentatively walked through the hallway and toward the lab. Jane had been working the entire day, and he could sense the tension present every time he stepped out of the guest room. He had finally decided to explore the lab. It was wide open, but for the most part, he had been restricted to either the couch on the far side of the lab or the guest bedroom. He turned the corner from the hallway into the main lab space.

Loki didn't see Jane at first; he was sure she had not left, for he would have heard her. His green eyes caught on a slight movement to his right. He smirked; Jane was hiding from him.

Slowly, Loki began to make his way to where Jane was hiding, but decided against it. Instead, he turned and walked over toward the lab table. There were stacks of papers scattered across its surface, and most did not make any sense.

At first, he only perused the papers to see if misplacing them would coax Jane from her hiding spot, but the contents of each page drew him in, and he quickly became genuinely interested. Loki began to sort through the mess of pages, his eyebrows knitted in deep concentration.

Jane hid behind a small part of the wall that sectioned off the kitchen and the main lab. She had heard Loki approach her moments ago, but his footsteps retreated. Jane listened carefully. She heard the rustling of papers, and her eyes grew wide. _He's looking at my research! And now he's messing it all up!_ Jane thought to herself. In her mind, all of the papers that had been lying on the lab table had been strategically placed; each one correlated with another in some way, and the fact that he was moving them around made her irritated.

Jane stepped around from where she was hiding, and looked toward the lab table. Loki was hunched over it, papers in each hand. She walked toward him slowly, her frustration building. He was so engrossed with what he was doing that he didn't even acknowledge her presence as she stopped at the table.

Jane walked around to the other side of the lab table, and watched him intently. She tapped her fingers impatiently on the surface, hoping its incessant nature would interrupt his train of thought.

Loki remained focused on the pages laid out in front of him, and continued to read each one with increasing interest. Jane couldn't take it anymore.

"Excuse me, but _what_ in the world do you think you're doing?" Jane asked expectantly. Loki stopped and looked over at Jane, almost as if he had been awoken from a trance. His gaze fell to the papers in his hands and back to Jane.

"What do I appear to be doing, Lady Foster?" Loki asked, raising an eyebrow. When Jane's mouth set in a straight line, he smirked. Jane walked around the table and snatched the papers out of his hands, and pushed him away.

"Well, go away. You don't have permission to be near my stuff," Jane retorted lamely as she shuffled papers around on the table. Loki leaned against the table and crossed his arms in front of his chest. He watched her as she tried to reorganize the papers as they were before. Jane cast a sidelong glance at Loki, and saw that he hadn't moved or left the main lab. She shifted her weight nervously from one foot to the other, and exhaled loudly.

Jane couldn't take it anymore. "What?" she asked. She felt scrutinized, and she clutched a handful of papers tightly in her hands. Loki sauntered over, closing the small distance between them, and stood directly behind her. Jane tensed up. He stood even closer now, and brought his arms around her. He reached for the crumpled papers in Jane's hand, and gently tugged them out of her grasp.

Jane was acutely aware of Loki's closeness. She tried to keep her breath even as she breathed him in. His presence felt cold, and his breath even colder, but she was inexplicably drawn to him, now that he was much closer to her. Jane tried to shake it off.

"Look at this," Loki said as he pointed to one of the papers. "You're theory isn't incorrect, Lady Foster. Just underdeveloped," Loki continued. Jane relaxed a little, and let Loki explain her theory in his terms.

oOoOo

Loki spent nearly an hour talking with Jane about her theory. Jane peppered him with questions; she listened earnestly, and when she didn't understand something, she made a point of it. Loki patiently answered her questions, and her thirst for knowledge entertained him. She was truly intelligent, and Loki could not think of a woman he had ever met as curious and clever as she.

Jane yawned and looked at the wall clock. _9:35 PM_. Loki looked up and smiled, stopping midsentence, and raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry," Jane apologized, waving him on to continue.

"Perhaps you should sleep, Lady Foster," Loki suggested, not unkindly. Jane shook her head.

"I don't think so. But I think I'm going to sit on the roof a while; is it okay if we continue this tomorrow?" Jane asked hopefully. Loki nodded.

"Of course, Lady Foster." Loki bowed his head, and Jane gave him a small smile as she walked out of the lab.

oOoOo

Jane had been sitting on the roof for nearly an hour. Her thoughts swam with the new possibilities that Loki had shown her. She lay down on one of the lawn chairs and gazed up at the familiar constellations that had been a source of comfort to her for a long time. She breathed in deeply and let out a contented sigh. She knew she was one step closer to finding Thor.

As Jane was beginning to drift to sleep, a cold breeze rustled through her hair. Jane felt a chill run down her spine, and her breathing hitched. A dark voice whispered in her ear.

"Are you not afraid of the dark, Lady Foster?" Jane froze, but her fear quickly dissipated as her favorite quote came to mind.

" 'I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night,' " Jane replied softly. She sat up, opened her eyes and found herself gazing into a pair of bright emerald ones. Loki's expression softened, and he sat down on the lawn chair next to her. Neither one spoke for a few moments.

"That was beautifully poetic," Loki said quietly. Jane smiled to herself and looked over at Loki.

"I think so too; a famous astronomer said it once; his name was Galileo. He was brilliant," Jane said with a sigh.

"Where did you hear it?"

"My parents. When I was a kid, I would stay up late at night and sit with my mom and dad in our backyard and watch the stars. I guess I just knew that I would never be afraid of darkness, because the stars brought so much light in my life. Even when…even when my parents died, the stars gave me light," Jane replied with a heavy heart.

_You aren't the only one who's lost everything._ Her words stung fresh in his mind, and he finally understood what she meant the previous night. Loki felt the weight of her words settle in the air between them like a dense fog.

Loki wanted to tell her that he understood, but in a way, he couldn't. When Odin took him from Jotunheim, Loki was only a baby. Odin raised him with open arms, knowing what he was, and asked no questions. Loki had Odin and Frigga, and Jane had no one. She was only a child when her parents passed, but she was fully aware of everything that had happened. Loki did not know of another life without Odin or Frigga. Jane sighed and rubbed her shoulders, stifling a yawn. She looked over at Loki, who appeared to be deep in thought.

"What's on your mind?" Jane asked gently. He broke from his reverie and gazed at Jane. She gave him a sad smile.

"I have greatly misjudged you, Lady Foster, and I apologize. I was wrong to think that you did not understand loss," Loki replied quietly. He searched her brown eyes for anger or frustration, but he only found warmth and understanding.

"Hey, it's okay. You didn't know any better," Jane sighed. Loki let out a nervous laugh.

"How gracious of you, to forgive such an error."

"Well, I figure everyone needs a little forgiveness every once in a while." Jane said, shrugging. The profoundness of Jane's statement revealed to Loki that she was wise beyond her years; an old soul, as Midgardians would put it.

Suddenly unable to face Jane, Loki stood up abruptly. He grasped Jane's hand and planted a light kiss on her knuckles. Jane blushed furiously, her thoughts immediately drifting to the memory of Thor making the same gesture so many months ago.

Bowing, he said, "I thank you for your forgiveness. Until tomorrow, Lady Foster." Jane nodded, and Loki quickly made his way off the roof. Jane sat on the lawn chair, stricken by the abruptness of Loki's departure.

For the first time in many months, Jane felt unsure of herself.


	9. Chapter 9

Another two weeks passed. Loki spent every day with Jane in her lab, his interest in her scientific endeavors renewed with each passing day. She slowly began to trust him, and he could sense it. In fact, it made it more difficult for Loki to leave. Even Erik Selvig began to trust him; not as quickly as Jane or Darcy, but he was slowly becoming interested in what Loki had to say. He began to wonder if he really _could_ leave.

oOoOo

Jane was standing alone in the lab, looking over assorted sheets of papers with several galactic photos she had collected over the years. All over the pictures were circles, arrows, and lines connecting different constellations, both foreign and familiar. Jane shuffled them away, and pulled out a stack of notes with Loki's careful handwriting. She smiled to herself; having Loki to teach her more about the stars that couldn't be taught on Earth was more than she could have ever hoped for. She furrowed her brow.

_Loki_. _Where was he?_ Jane thought to herself. He had been strangely distant the entire day; it was as if his mind was in another place. He had eventually excused himself over an hour ago, complaining of a headache.

She looked up at the wall clock. _5:30 PM_. The sun was setting, turning the desert sky into a brilliant canvas of oranges, pinks, and reds. Jane set down the papers in her hands and walked toward the bedrooms. Darcy opened her bedroom door and stepped out.

"Hey Jane, I'm gonna go meet up with some friends in town, okay? I'll probably be back late. Text me if you need me!" Darcy said as she passed Jane.

"Mmkay, will do. Have fun," Jane replied halfheartedly. Erik had been researching on his own, so he spent nearly the entire day in his room.

Jane approached the spare bedroom door, raised her hand to knock, but hesitated. Jane shook her head, inhaled and knocked.

"Loki? Are you okay?" Jane asked mildly. No response. She knocked again. When the second knock didn't elicit a response, Jane turned the handle slowly and poked her head in.

The room was dark; the shades had been pulled shut, only allowing a few rays of the setting run to peek in, and none of the lights were on. As Jane's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could make out Loki's silhouette sitting on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. Jane opened the door a little more, allowing more light into the darkened space.

"Loki? Is everything okay?" Jane asked hesitantly. He didn't respond. Jane slowly walked over to where Loki was seated, and knelt down on the floor beside him.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Jane asked softly. She laid her hands in her lap, and patiently waited for him to answer.

"It is nothing," he replied dully, waving away her question.

"Liar," Jane accused gently, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. When her attempt at lightheartedness failed, Jane stood up.

"Come on; you need some fresh air and I could use a break. Let's go for a drive," Jane said, tugging on Loki's sleeve. Reluctantly, he stood up and followed Jane out of the room, humoring her strange request. He squinted at the brightness of the lights in the lab, and the setting sun tinted the entire lab a bright orange. Jane grabbed the keys to the van from the lab table.

"We'll be right back, Erik!" Jane yelled out through the lab. Jane picked up her pace, and headed out of the lab. Loki followed closely behind, feeling out of sorts. He opened the passenger door to the van, and followed Jane's lead as she strapped herself in. The mechanical beast roared to life, and Jane pulled away from the lab.

Loki raised an eyebrow. He looked out the window and watched the stretch of desert pass by them. Leaning his forehead against the glass, Loki sighed. Jane had some sort of plan, and it bothered him that she didn't share any details.

The majority of the drive was quiet, but whereas Loki thought they were to return to the lab, Jane had another destination in mind. She slowed the van, and pulled to a stop. They had been driving for nearly thirty minutes. Jane pulled the key out of the ignition, and swung the door open. She hopped down from the van, and shut the door behind her. Slowly, Loki did the same, not entirely sure what Jane had in mind. He stepped out of the vehicle and his feet landed on the hard desert floor.

Loki looked at Jane, who was waiting for him a few yards away. He looked around; the surroundings seemed vaguely familiar, but not enough to stir his memory. Jane beckoned to him.

"Come and sit with me?" she asked gently. Loki nodded, and walked slowly toward where Jane stood. She crossed her legs and sat down on the ground, facing the setting sun. He sat next to her, and silently watched as the sun dropped further into the sky. Neither of them spoke for a long while, but Jane was the first to break the monotonous silence.

"I always liked the sunset, especially as a kid. To me, it always meant that the stars were close by." Jane's lips pulled into a small smile, but as Loki turned to look at her, the joy was present in her warm eyes. As calculating as Jane was, he was inexplicably drawn to her; he knew he should not have been, but he couldn't fight the feeling that grew in the pit of his stomach.

Loki dropped his gaze and stared at the ground, unable to meet Jane's eyes. Her eyebrows drew together in confusion.

"What's on your mind?" she asked. Loki sighed deeply, and closed his eyes. _Too many things_, he thought to himself. When he didn't answer her, she scooted closer to him on the ground and nudged his side.

"Please tell me," Jane insisted. He could sense that she was concerned, and wouldn't give up.

"Lady Foster—" Loki started, but Jane interrupted him.

"Call me Jane. No need to be formal," she replied with a smile. He nodded.

"Jane, I think it's time I gave you some answers. They may not necessarily be answers you are seeking, but they may be able to explain some things." When Jane didn't say anything, he continued.

"Before Thor came to Midgard, he was going to be crowned the ruler of Asgard; he was to succeed our—" Loki was about to say father, but couldn't bring himself to say the word. "Odin. There was a large ceremony, and as Thor was about to be named king, a handful of Jotuns broke into the weapons vault in the palace. Before they could carry out their task, the Destroyer exterminated them." Jane bristled when he mentioned the Destroyer. He continued.

"Thor wanted answers, so he defied Odin and convinced Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, along with myself, to travel with him to Jotunheim to seek out answers. He was foolish then; we were lucky to escape Jotunheim with our lives.

"What Thor did threatened the peace that Odin had worked so hard to keep, and Odin could no longer afford to treat Thor as a boy. Odin banished him from Asgard, and incidentally, he landed here.

"While Thor was gone, Odin had fallen into the Odinsleep, and I took his place as ruler. I did many terrible things when I was briefly the ruler of Asgard, one of the most regretful being my command to send the Destroyer to ensure Thor did not return to Asgard." Loki choked on the last sentence, and it became difficult for him to continue. Jane sat in stunned silence, not entirely sure what to say. Before she could think of anything to say, Loki spoke up.

"As you know, Thor survived and returned to the realm eternal. He came to fight me, and I was happy to oblige. I wanted to destroy the Jotuns, but Thor attempted to convince me to abandon my endeavor. I did not understand, for only a few days prior, Thor would have happily agreed to help me. It was then that I finally understood that it had been you; you were responsible for changing him, but I had been too arrogant to see that he was right and I was wrong.

"Thor made a difficult decision that day; he destroyed the Bifrost to save Jotunheim. Both of us nearly died, but Odin saved us from falling through space. I tried to convince Odin that I was doing what was best for the Nine Realms, but he was only disappointed. I did not see the purpose of remaining in Asgard to be scorned for eternity. I let go of the staff that Thor had held on to so that I would not fall away, and eventually I landed here, on Midgard. I was suspended in space for longer than I even know; I was so alone with my own shame and regret." Loki felt hollow inside; it was the first time that Loki was forced to face his inner demons. Jane was no longer looking at him; she was watching as the remaining sliver of sun disappeared underneath the horizon. He was trying to find the right words to continue on. Jane spoke.

"Why did you try to destroy Jotunheim?" Jane asked. Loki did not expect this to be her first question, but he answered it nonetheless.

"Because…" Loki sighed. "On the day we ventured into Jotunheim before Thor's banishment, we were caught in a battle that we could not have won. I was fighting off a Frost Giant, and he grabbed my forearm. Instead of being frostbitten, as I should have been, my skin changed colour and matched the tone of the Jotun. I was in shock, and more confused than I had ever been.

"Later that evening, after Thor had been banished, I demanded that Odin tell me what I was. Even though by that time I already had a good idea in my mind, I only wanted to know why he never told me. I was cursed."

"Why do you think that?" Jane asked, confused.

"Because, I was a _Jotun_; a despicable Frost Giant," Loki replied bitterly. "I never felt more hatred in my bones than that day. I…that's why I wanted to destroy the Frost Giants," Loki choked. He stood up and angrily wiped away a stray tear. Jane's chest felt constricted as she tried to find the right words of comfort.

"Now you can send me away. I've already heard Erik Selvig's protests and felt his unease. I will leave you alone," Loki said, resignedly. Jane panicked.

"What? No! I'm _not_ sending you away! Why would you think I would even _do_ that?" she asked incredulously, standing up to face him. Even standing at her full height, she still had to look up to meet his eyes, which were glistening with tears.

"Because I'm a _coward_, Jane! I'm a bitter, arrogant, and _worthless_ coward, and I don't know what to do anymore! I've lost everything I've ever known because I was consumed with hatred for a race that I had believed was monstrous! _I'm just like them_!" Loki shouted through his tears. Jane flinched.

He sank to his knees and sobbed. He let out the most gut-wrenching cry she had ever heard, and her heart broke in two. Jane found it difficult to breathe, and she immediately lowered herself to her knees in front of him and pulled him to her. Loki was too weak to protest, and he let himself be pulled into her embrace. She wrapped her arms around his shuddering figure and held him tightly. Jane tried not to cry; her heart told her to be strong, to be his anchor.

"You are _not_ worthless, do you hear me? And you are _not_ like them. You're better than that," Jane whispered fiercely. Loki continued to cry into her shoulder.

They remained sitting on the desert floor for a while longer. As Loki's sobs began to subside and turn into sniffling, Jane rested her cheek on his head and traced circles in his back. It reminded her of what her mother used to do when she awoke in the middle of the night with terrible nightmares.

"Don't you ever think, for even one moment, that you're a monster, Loki; you're just hurt. I know what it's like," Jane whispered softly. Loki lifted his head from her shoulder and looked her in the eye. He could feel the pain emanating from her; if any one person could understand what he felt, it was Jane. And in that moment, Loki felt his very being shatter and crumble; he knew in that instant that he had stumbled upon what he had needed the most, and she sat in front of him.


	10. Chapter 10

The both of them sat at the site of the Bifrost for the better part of two hours. Jane spent most of the time telling Loki of the myths and legends behind the constellations she had studied for years. Loki listened patiently, quietly amused with her passion for the stars. At one point, Jane stopped talking and sighed happily. Talking about the stars always made her feel better; when the stars were out, everything was right with her world.

Jane began to hum to herself. She couldn't exactly describe what she felt, but part of her knew she was some sort of content. Loki couldn't help but listen to her humming; it was somewhat soothing, and beautiful, in a way. Feeling the magic within him begin to swirl, as if suddenly activated by Jane's beautiful tune, he put his hands together and summoned what magic he could access. A light began to form in his palms, and he closed his eyes, focusing his mind on that light.

Jane stopped humming and watched Loki in amazement. Her eyes grew wider as the light emanating from his palms became brighter. At first, she couldn't make out what was forming, but soon enough an image began to form. It was a cluster of stars, only miniaturized. She gasped audibly, and Loki opened his eyes. He looked over his handiwork, and gave Jane a satisfied grin.

"What _is_ that?" Jane asked incredulously.

"It's a model, of sorts; a representation. Quite small, but effective," Loki said matter-of-factly. Jane looked closer at the glowing light in his hands, and found that she could not recognize any of the stars that were represented.

"Wait, these aren't _our_ stars; whose are they?" Jane asked, confused yet enraptured.

"They're constellations of Asgard. My home," he said quietly. He raised one hand, lifting the ethereal model, and pointed to various constellations with the other. Jane instantly became engrossed with everything he was saying. He told her each story behind every star he knew of, and she listened diligently.

Jane never interrupted Loki, except to ask an occasional question. He told her everything he knew about Asgardian stars; he withheld nothing from her. Her curious mind reminded him of himself, in a way; when he was a child, he always yearned for more knowledge, more information.

When Loki was finished explaining everything he could about his stars, the Midgardian moon had risen even further in the sky. As he was beginning to relax, he felt a strange but familiar tug at his core. _Magic._ Before he could control what was happening, he fell into darkness.

_The concrete walls reverberated every footfall and echoed for several meters. Several people moved around quickly, looking for something. He turned, and there was an entire laboratory with numerous control boards, as well as people quickly working with them. A tall dark man with an eye patch and dressed in black clothing stood at the center of the lab, conferring with another man. The second man was not as tall; he wore shaded glasses and his hair was cropped and styled. He wore a sharp suit, and was speaking animatedly with his hands. Loki carefully walked closer, but when it became apparent that no one could see him, he relaxed. He stopped when he could hear what they were saying._

"_The Cube is reacting in a strange way lately, and _none _of my scientists can figure out why. It's like something's supercharged it; something…I dunno, but it's probably a good idea to find out what it is. Sooner than later," the shorter man said._

"_What do you mean by _supercharged_? Interesting term, Stark," the darker man asked. He was an authority figure; Loki could tell just by the way he spoke and stood. The second man, Stark, seemed to struggle to find an appropriate response._

"_It's the best way to describe it, yeah. But our technology is crapping out, and it's because the Cube is reacting to something."_

"_You sure it isn't anything else, Stark?" the first man asked, raising an eyebrow. Stark nodded._

"_Yeah," he replied with conviction, as the first man began to turn away._

"_Well Stark, the clock is ticking. I suggest you find out what's making it act so strange. Any leads, you find me. Understood?"_

"_Fury, we know where the signal might be coming from," Stark blurted before the tall man, Fury, could leave. He turned and faced Stark._

"_Where?"_

"_Puente Antiguo."_

_Loki waited to hear more, but something was pulling him away. The scene began to swirl away as he returned to consciousness._

"Loki? Loki! Wake up!" came a panicked voice. He was suddenly aware that he was no longer in the underground compound, but in Jane's arms. He opened his eyes lazily, and he could see the panic written in her face. She sighed in relief and helped him sit up. He touched his palm to his brow, feeling confused. Jane looked him in the eye.

"What just happened?" Jane demanded. She searched his face for anything that might give away what he was feeling, but his furrowed brow only revealed as much confusion as she was feeling.

"I don't know. One moment, I was here, and another moment, I was in an underground building of some sort. People were everywhere, and two men were speaking hurriedly to each other. Stark and…Fury. The man you mentioned a while ago. They were talking about a surge of some sort," Loki spoke thickly. Although the darkness shielded most of her face, he noticed the colour drain from her cheeks.

"Is that all?" Jane asked vehemently. Loki paused, but nodded.

"They discussed something, an item; they called it the Cube," Loki replied. Jane's mouth fell open.

"We have to ask Erik about this. He'll know," Jane said quickly. She stood up, and held her hand out for Loki to hoist himself up. He took it and rose, following closely behind when Jane walked back to the van.

oOoOo

Jane pulled up to the lab, and shut off the engine. She quickly hopped out of the van and into the building, followed by Loki. Erik was in the kitchen area, boiling some water for tea.

"Darcy back yet?" Jane asked hurriedly.

"Not yet. Why?" Erik asked.

"We need to talk," Jane said abruptly, not answering his question. Erik turned to face the young woman, and noticed Loki was standing directly behind her. His mouth was pulled into a tight line, and his expression unreadable. Erik looked between the two, and something felt off.

"What is it?" Erik asked, suddenly serious. Jane turned around and faced Loki.

"Loki, I think you need to be the one to tell him," Jane said gently. He nodded, and began to retell the vision in the desert.

When he had finished, Erik was silent. The three of them had moved to sit at the kitchen table, and as Erik was about to reply, Darcy opened the front door to the lab and walked in. The smile on her face fell when she saw the expressions the faces of her companions.

"What?" Darcy asked.

"Well, there's a good chance S.H.I.E.L.D. is headed this way now, and there's not much we can do about it," Erik remarked soberly. Darcy's expression changed, and she hurried over to the kitchen table.

"Are you kidding me? What do _they_ want?" Darcy demanded. She was still clearly upset with the organization.

"Me," Loki replied softly. The others turned to look at him.

"How do you know?" Darcy asked. The question had been on Jane's mind, but she didn't want to give voice to her own fears.

"Because my magic is interfering with a hidden power source; they call it the Cube," Loki said flatly.

"You can use _magic_? Darcy asked incredulously. Loki nodded.

"Why didn't you use it before, though? Why now?" Darcy continued.

"Because I was injured; I didn't have the strength to summon it. To put it simply, I draw from my magic like a well, and in order to do that, I have to use my own energy. When I first came here, I had none; I was injured, and I had been stuck in a space, or wormhole, for quite some time. I had no energy to use to draw on my magic. Now that I have that energy, I can use it. I used it only a little while ago," Loki admitted.

"But how would it interfere from so far away?" Jane asked, feeling confused.

"It is not; the device is quite close," Loki sighed. It was Jane's turn to ask questions.

"What? What do you mean, it's _close_? Fury told me it was in New York!" Jane cried. She looked between Loki and Erik; Erik had his head down, and Loki returned her gaze helplessly.

"I—I wasn't supposed to tell you, Jane. That was the recent development that we spoke of weeks ago. Fury's purpose in bringing you back was to see if you would take the research more seriously," Erik said, hints of defeat clear in his tone of voice. Jane's eyes welled up with tears.

"What? And I didn't pass? Is that why I can't go back to work at their labs?" she looked over at Erik, and his gaze dropped to the linoleum floor.

"Please don't tell me you agree with them." Jane managed to choke out. Erik looked up, and his face was filled with hurt.

"Not for a _moment_, Jane! I believed in you from the start, and I still do. What Fury did was wrong and unjustifiable. You _know_ your work is brilliant Jane; absolutely brilliant," Erik reassured her. He took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. Jane felt relieved.

"Thank you, Erik," Jane said gratefully. Erik nodded. As the sentimental moment ended, the four were still left with a feeling of uncertainty.

"When do you think they'll be here?" Darcy asked bluntly. Jane turned to look at her intern.

"Come on, Darcy. Loki saw the exchange in a vision, a dream. Do you really think they're going to be _that_ specific?"

"I was just asking!" Darcy said, throwing up her hands. Jane rolled her eyes, and sighed.

"Sorry for snapping; didn't mean it," Jane apologized, putting her head in her hands. The silence began to feed into Jane's frustration, and she stood up. The chair screeched backward, making everyone jump.

"This isn't gonna happen again. They're _not_ going to take you away; they have _no_ right!" Jane said, raising her voice. Loki could read her like an open book; he could see she was confused, and was holding something back that she wanted to say.

Jane stormed out of the lab and onto the roof. She angrily sat down on the lawn chair and huffed. She couldn't understand the feelings that were surfacing; she didn't want to lose Loki, but she couldn't say why. The logical side of her mind didn't want to lose Loki because he was the most vital part to her research, but her sensitive side didn't want him gone for another reason entirely.

A part of her did not want to even acknowledge that sensitive side; Jane didn't want unwanted feelings springing up in her mind. She cradled her head in her hands and cried out in frustration. _Why can't I figure this out?_ She asked herself.

She missed Thor, every day: his warm and inviting smile, his sparkling blue eyes and gentle gaze, and his genuine countenance. Jane sighed. It had been over six months, and he hadn't returned to her. _Like he promised_, she thought sadly. Would he even be back? And now, she was faced with losing Loki. She thought of his angular features, his deep emerald eyes, and everything else that contrasted his with Thor. He shared her passion for the universe, and his intelligence challenged her to think differently and approach everything she encountered in a new way.

Jane was beginning to realize just how much she didn't know Thor, and how empty she had felt lately when she thought of him. For the past week, the nightmares had gone, and the memories stopped arising in her sleep. She began to realize that waiting for Thor was a hopeless endeavor, and that was what was holding her back from her research. But just as her mind had reached one epiphany, another started to form in her mind: _what if it isn't Thor who keeps me going? What if it's Loki?_

oOoOo

Darcy, Erik, and Loki remained at the kitchen table, silent. Darcy had kicked off her shoes and tucked them under herself on the chair. Erik leaned back in his chair, and Loki was leaning forward on his knees, his eyes distant.

"What are you going to do?" Erik asked. Loki should have expected this question, but he hadn't thought of it. _What should I do?_ he thought to himself.

"I…don't know."

"Leave, maybe. Get a head start and leave Puente Antiguo," Erik proposed. Erik looked at him and shrugged. "Just a suggestion."

"Would it be worth it? They'll find me anyway, and I cannot return to Asgard, even if I wanted to," Loki remarked soberly.

"You can't just give up like that," Erik replied, shaking his head. Darcy nodded in agreement.

"Well, what if we negotiated with them or something?" Darcy suggested. "What if we showed them the research you've been working on with Jane? They can't ignore that."

"But once they find out who I am, it will not matter; my actions with the Destroyer outweigh any type of research I may have assisted Jane with."

"We don't have to tell them who you are, though," Darcy replied. Loki shook his head.

"I believe that would make it worse for me in the end," he stated flatly. Darcy didn't have any more suggestions, and Erik had nothing else to say.

oOoOo

After spending an hour on the roof, Jane decided it was time to return downstairs. She slowly made her way down the steps, and through the lab. Darcy was on the couch, flipping through a magazine, and Erik stood in the kitchen, boiling more water for tea. Loki was the only one remaining at the kitchen table. Jane sat down in a chair across from him, observed him. There was a vacant look in his eyes; he was in a far away place, clearly not thinking of his current situation. She sighed and rested her chin in her hands, defeat washing over her.

Suddenly, Loki tensed. Jane raised her eyebrows.

"Is everything okay? Well, I mean, besides the obvious," Jane asked lamely.

"They're near," he replied flatly.

"What? How do you know?" Darcy piped up, closing her magazine. Jane wanted to ask the same question, but she followed Loki's gaze. There was a caravan of bright headlights heading straight for the lab. Jane gasped; she didn't expect them to appear so soon. Her heart swelled with panic, and her eyes widened. She looked at Loki helplessly, and was surprised to see how calm he was. His jaw was set, and he looked as if he was accepting the inevitable.

Loki stood up, and Jane did as well. She moved over to the lab table and grabbed the small black notebook, carefully stuffing it in her belt under her shirt out of habit. Darcy turned her body on the couch so that her feet were no longer propped up, but resting on the linoleum floor, and her gaze darted to the approaching headlights. Erik emerged from the kitchen and watched as the caravan of black cars fan out and surround the lab. Several figures emerged from the cars, but two led the group. Jane recognized them immediately. Nick Fury swung the lab door open, closely followed by Tony Stark. Three men in black suits flanked them. When Tony saw Jane, the corners of his mouth turned up, and his eyes brightened.

"Hey sweetheart! Miss me?" he asked lightheartedly. Jane laughed nervously.

"Always, Tony," Jane replied hesitantly, her eyes avoiding his gaze. Her fingers began to shake, and she shoved them in her pockets to prevent them from seeing how nervous she really was. Loki stood a few steps behind her. Fury's eye scanned the room. Jane shook her head, knowing how unusual and suspicious the silence seemed.

"I-I'm sorry, make yourselves at home. Anything to drink?" Jane offered. The three unknown men standing behind Fury and Stark shook their heads. She looked over to the remaining two.

"Scotch?" Tony asked hopefully. Jane thought for a moment, trying to remember where Erik put the bottle. She remembered where it resided, and nodded. He grinned.

"Nothing, thank you Miss Foster." Fury said. Jane turned to head toward the kitchen. Loki, sensing her overwhelming nervousness, turned to follow her. Darcy scooted over on the couch and patted the seat next to her, inviting Tony and Fury to sit next to her. Tony happily obliged, and Fury walked to the empty chair next to them. Darcy initiated conversation with Stark, and the atmosphere lightened. Erik walked over with a mug of tea in his hand and struck up a conversation with Fury, but Fury's mind was elsewhere.

Jane reached for a high cabinet to where the nicer glasses were. The bottle of scotch was sitting on the counter, but she cursed her height as she stretched as far as she could for the glass. She debated climbing on top of the counter, but as she was about to hop up, Loki moved behind her, putting a hand on the small of her back.

"It's not proper to jump up in front of guests," he whispered in her ear. A shiver ran up her spine, and she stopped moving as Loki reached up to the cabinet above her and pulled down a glass.

"Thanks," Jane said softly.

"Jane?" Loki said in a low voice. Jane was flustered. He sighed.

"Please, do not be nervous. After all, they may not believe that the interference is from a being instead of an object." Loki remarked. Jane nodded slowly; she could sense that even he knew what he was saying was unlikely. She picked up the full glass of honeyed liquor and walked over to where everyone else was. Loki followed, and brought over two chairs from the kitchen table for the both of them to sit in. Jane handed the tumbler to Tony, and he grinned.

"Thanks, sweetheart. How've you been?" he asked. Jane nodded.

"I've been good, thanks. Just busy." She half smiled.

"Good to hear. We all miss you, back at the lab. Extremely boring without your lovely face to brighten up the place," Tony said genuinely. Jane blushed furiously, and looked down at her hands folded in her lap. The way Tony was speaking with Jane sparked a familiar emotion within Loki: jealousy. Tony spoke so easily with her, and it unnerved him. He set his jaw and crossed his arms.

Loki had been so distracted by Stark's flirtations that he hadn't realized Nick Fury had been eyeing him suspiciously since he sat down. Before Tony could start talking again, Fury spoke.

"Dr. Selvig, I see you've been keeping some…interesting company," he remarked drily. Loki's gaze met Fury's; both were silent, but their eyes challenged each other. Erik looked up from his mug, confused, but he hastily recovered.

"I apologize; this is—"

"No need for introductions, Erik. We already know who he is. Welcome to Earth, Loki."

Jane's head snapped up and she gasped. Tony shut his mouth, and stared at Fury. Darcy's eyebrows shot up, and she sat straighter.

"Excuse me Nick, but _what_ did you just say?" Tony asked, confused. He set down the glass of scotch on the coffee table.

"Stark, do you recall the disturbance we encountered over a month ago, here in Puente Antiguo? Similar to the storm that brought Thor down to Earth, was it not, Miss Foster?" Fury asked sharply, now looking at Jane. She held her breath. Tony nodded.

"Well, along with your recent report of something interfering with the Cube, there have been a few more reports of atmospheric disturbances in the area. Loki is the only one who could have caused them."

"Wait, wait, wait. You're telling me that _this man_," Tony said disbelievingly, pointing at Loki, "is _Loki_, the Norse God of Mischief, _and_ he's responsible for all that interference? But _how_?" Tony asked incredulously. Fury nodded.

"Why don't you tell us, Loki?" Fury's glance hardened, and Loki's mouth remained shut as he thought of an answer. Jane became incredibly nervous; her mind was racing, thinking of the worst possible scenarios in her mind.

"You will tell us one way or another, Loki Odinson," Fury threatened.

"You would not understand if I told you. Nor would you have the patience," Loki said coldly. Fury's eye narrowed, and he looked back at the three men in suits standing by the entrance to the lab. He nodded once, and they advanced toward Loki. Jane stood up and quickly moved to stand next to him. One of the men grabbed Jane by the arms while the other two twisted Loki's behind his back. He didn't struggle, but he held his head high.

"Jane Foster, you harbored a wanted criminal and said nothing about it. Stay out of this, and I will be lenient. As for you, Erik Selvig, you are no longer permitted to work within S.H.I.E.L.D. laboratories for withholding information on the whereabouts of an international threat. If either of you interfere, your punishments will be harsher than this," Fury said sharply.

"No! Please, you have no idea what you're doing!" Jane cried. She kicked her leg out against the force holding her back. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Oh, I don't? I believe I know exactly what I'm doing," he snapped.

"Please, you don't understand! Loki can _help_ you! Please!" Jane pleaded. She struggled wildly against the guard holding her back.

"Stark, we're leaving." Fury said, ignoring Jane's cries. Stark stood up and let out a disappointed sigh.

"Tony! Please, just let me explain—"

"Not this time, sweetheart. I can't help you," Tony said sadly as he walked away.

Jane's struggle intensified as she saw the other two guards escort Loki from the lab. She kicked backwards, and the heel of her foot connected with the guard's knee. He buckled, releasing her. Jane ran through the doors; Loki looked up and his eyes widened as the third guard that had been holding Jane approached her from behind. He grabbed her arm roughly; she drew her fist back in retaliation, but before she could release it the guard had pulled out his gun. In an effort to subdue her, he hit Jane on the back of her skull but the butt of the pistol.

"Jane!" Loki cried out. The source of magic within him began to grow immensely, and he lashed out at the two men holding him. They crumpled to the ground, and he ran over to Jane. She was still conscious, but in a daze. As soon as he kneeled down, one of his two guards rushed over to properly secure him. Before Loki could retaliate a second time, Fury's booming voice silenced everyone.

"Enough! Arrest them both! And for God's sake, do it right this time," he barked. Loki struggled as he watched Jane's limp form being picked up and carried to another vehicle. Rage boiled over inside of him; he wanted to strike back, to free himself to get to Jane, but he knew that it would only make their situation more unbearable than it already was.


	11. Chapter 11

The car ride to the temporary S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters was foggy for Jane; she remembered being hit hard on the head, and Loki breaking free from the grasp of the two guards that restrained him.

Jane touched the back of her head gingerly; it was tender, but not bleeding. She looked around in the car. The windows had been tinted almost completely black, preventing her from seeing where she was going.

Rubbing her head, Jane sat up straight. The car turned several times, and finally lurched to a stop. The driver stepped out and walked quickly to her car door and opened it. Nick Fury had already made it to the S.H.I.E.L.D. compound before she had. When the man opened the door, he reached in and held onto her arm tightly, ensuring she would not try to escape as he guided her out of the vehicle.

When Jane was pulled out of her seat, she had to use her free hand to shield her eyes from the bright fluorescent lights. Once her eyes adjusted, she noticed that Tony was looking at her with sympathy, while Nick Fury glared at her disdainfully. She sighed.

Fury nodded at the man holding her arm, and Jane was suddenly being led somewhere else. The part of the temporary S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters that she passed through was unfamiliar to her. The man led her through several corridors with bustling scientists and security personnel. The man stopped at a large metal door and slid a key card through a lock on the wall next to it. It opened with a hiss, and the man continued to lead her down a hallway.

As they continued to walk, Jane began to recognize their surroundings. The hallway and door to the labs she had worked in long ago appeared briefly on her right. She was able to glance at the scientists she had worked with, and she bit her lip.

Finally, the man led her into a small room off to the side of the hallway; it had nothing in it but a table and two chairs. At seeing this, Jane came to the realization she was here no longer as a guest, but as a prisoner.

oOoOo

When Loki arrived at S.H.I.E.L.D., he was roughly pulled from the car and made to stand in front of the one they called Nick Fury. Tony Stark stood behind him, arms crossed in front of his chest. At his full height, Fury was much shorter than Loki, and much less intimidating. Loki smirked.

Without breaking his gaze, Fury gestured behind him to a group of armed guards. They quickly fell into place, completely surrounding Loki. The smirk that played at his mouth was now gone; instead, his lips twisted into a scowl.

"Where is Jane Foster?" Loki snarled.

"That's none of your concern. Your main concern, however, should be answering every last one of my questions," Fury responded coldly.

"If that is the way you wish to answer, then so be it. But, I advise you to listen carefully, Nick Fury. If I find that any harm befalls her, expect to encounter a wrath so devastating, the only thing you will have left to ask for is mercy," Loki snarled. Something flickered in Fury's gaze, but his facial expression revealed nothing.

The group of armed guards escorted Loki through the headquarters and down several winding hallways. He could sense Jane was already here; as they proceeded forward, a mirrored window appeared to his right. He turned and faced it as they passed, letting a small smile come to his lips. Jane was nearby, and his magic was able to confirm that she had not been harmed any further than when they were arrested. A wave of relief washed over him. She was safe: for now, at least.

oOoOo

Jane sunk down in the metal chair and waited. For someone, or something, she didn't know. She waited for nearly fifteen minutes, and nothing happened. Jane stood up and paced the small space, unable to handle the silence. She wrapped her arms around her sides, hugging herself. She wondered where Loki was and whether or not he was okay; she hoped Fury, or anyone else for that matter, hadn't hurt him.

The thought made Jane feel sick. _If only I had come clean about this sooner, maybe things would have been better. Or maybe I wouldn't be so attached. Why are you so stupid, Jane Foster?_ Jane mentally berated herself.

Jane heard the distant metal access door down the hallway open and shut. Her head snapped up. She froze, waiting to see who would approach. As she looked out of the window, she gasped. Loki was being escorted down the hall, surrounded by large black-clad guards. Her hand went to her mouth and the guilt rose up inside her_._

As she tried to think of possible things she could say to convince Fury of Loki's change of heart, Loki turned his head to face her. Jane's eyes widened for a moment, and their eyes locked. He gave her a small, almost reassuring smile and continued down the hallway. Jane hadn't realized how tense she was until she let her arms fall to her sides. She let out the breath that she had been holding, and walked around to the other side of the table, taking a seat in the metal chair.

Jane waited another ten minutes, and she heard the slide of the metal access door down the hall. Within a minute, Nick Fury strode down the hallway and into the room Jane was held in. The door clicked open, and Fury walked in, a serious expression set in his features. Her heart sank as he stood in front of her across the table. She was in for it now.

"Evening, Miss Foster. Before we begin, do you know why you're here?" Fury inquired expectantly. Jane wasn't sure she wanted to bother with an answer, so she didn't. Fury laced his hands behind his back and shifted his stance.

"Miss Foster, you're here because you knowingly harbored a wanted federal criminal and said nothing about it. I'm sure you recall the damage Loki caused several months ago. You have also interfered with government action and have been brought back here. _I'm_ here because I think you and I need to have a little chat," Fury said.

"About what?" Jane asked nervously. She already knew the answer; she just didn't want to acknowledge it.

"Loki." Jane sighed.

"Well…what do you want to know?" If there was a way to divulge as little as possible, then she would try her best to use it.

"Anything and everything, Miss Foster."

Jane paused, thinking of where to start. After taking a deep breath, she told Fury everything she could think of; everything except the shared moments on the roof and in the desert. She had spent nearly thirty minutes explaining everything that she could think of, and she put more emphasis on the events that revealed Loki's better, finer side. When she had finished, Fury had said nothing. His expression had not changed, but his silence revealed that he was analyzing everything Jane had said.

"Anything else?" He asked pensively. Jane hesitated, but shook her head.

"What happens now? What are you going to do?" she asked softly, afraid of the answer.

"We will have to see. I will consider the account you've just given to me, and we will go from there," Fury replied, walking toward the door. Jane panicked and stood abruptly.

"Wait! Please, wait. Is there any way that I can _prove_ to you that he's on our side? That he's _good_?" Jane asked desperately. Just as Fury was about to answer her, a suited man burst into the holding room, clearly out of breath.

"Sir, we have a situation," he said breathlessly, looking between Fury and Jane. Fury walked out of the room and into the hallway, leaving Jane without an answer. She balled her fists and tried not to cry out in anguish. She felt as if she were back to square one; trying to exhaust all of her resources and not getting any answers. As Jane was beginning to feel hopeless, Nick Fury walked back into the room. The expression on his face suggested that something had seriously gone wrong.

"Are you ready to redeem yourself, Miss Foster?"

oOoOo

Jane hurriedly followed Nick, trying to keep up with his stride.

"What's going on?" Jane asked.

"The Cube was en route to New York, our primary base, but it has been stolen. We suspect Johann Schmidt is responsible, and we need to get it back as soon as possible," he said simply.

"Well, wait; I'm not exactly sure how _I_ would be able to help—" Jane started, but Fury quickly interrupted her.

"Miss Foster, when Schmidt stole the Cube, he was instantly transported elsewhere. Any sort of trace he may have left behind doesn't exist. If you think you can figure out how the _hell_ he did that, and where he may have gone, consider yourself a free woman," Fury stated bluntly. Jane didn't immediately respond.

Fury continued to lead them down the hallway, when Jane stopped in her tracks. Nick turned around to face her.

"Miss Foster, time is of the essence. We need to hurry."

"Loki can help us. He can help us recover the Cube," Jane said.

"We've already discussed this; this doesn't involve him." Fury said, waving her off. Jane stood her ground.

"You don't get it, though; he knows the device better than any of the scientists here combined. He _knows_ the kind of power it has and what it does," Jane reasoned. Fury narrowed his gaze.

"And _how_ exactly does he know this?" he asked sharply.

"Doesn't matter. What _does_ matter, however, is that if you want to get the Cube back, you're going to need his help, whether you like it or not."

oOoOo

Loki was brought to a small holding cell, where he remained for nearly an hour. Naturally, no one had come to question him, not yet. The quick glimpse at Jane in her holding cell made him hope that they wouldn't use her to get at him. He scowled. _I will not let that happen._

Suddenly, he heard raised voices approaching his room. His brows furrowed and he listened carefully.

"Miss Foster—"

"Nick, he's my charge! He's _my_ responsibility! Well, before _you_ all showed up," Jane bit out. Fury was silent. Neither spoke.

"_Trust_ me, Nick. I'll be responsible for him. Please. Just _give him a chance,_" Jane pleaded. From the lack of response, Loki could tell that Fury was going to agree with her, against his better judgement.

The door to Loki's holding cell swung open, and Jane walked in. A smile crept up on her face, and she walked toward him. He stood.

"Are you okay? They haven't done anything to you, have they?" she blurted out. Loki shook his head.

"No. Not yet, anyway. Is everything all right? They have not harmed you?" he asked, repeating her question.

"No. Other than my head, which is starting to feel better, I'm fine." Almost on impulse, Jane hugged him tightly. The action genuinely shocked him and he threw his arms up in surprise. Fury had walked in a few minutes later, and immediately sized him up. Slowly, he relaxed and put his arms around her small figure. Loki hadn't realized how much smaller she was until he held her in his arms. Fury cleared his throat, and Jane quickly pulled away.

"Right. Well, there's been a development with the Cube," Jane paused before continuing. "It's been stolen." Loki's eyebrows quirked upward in disbelief, and Jane let out the breath she was holding in. Jane was about to continue when Fury approached the both of them and interrupted.

"What Miss Foster is trying to say is, the Cube is in very dangerous hands; it has come to my understanding that you are very familiar with the level of…_technology_ that is involved. It's also come to my attention that the Cube is not something from this realm, as your brother put it." Jane furrowed her brow.

"I didn't tell you that; I only said he's familiar with it." She turned to face Loki. "Did you say anything to Erik?" Loki shook his head.

"Neither of you told me; _he_ did." Fury replied flatly, and nodded toward the door.

When he walked in, Jane felt as if she had been punched in the stomach; the air had gone completely from her lungs. Loki stiffened, and his mouth pulled into a tight line.

"Hello, brother. Hello, Jane."


	12. Chapter 12

"_Thor_? What…how?" Jane asked incredulously. Her mind was spinning; it was all too much for her. Loki remained rigidly silent behind her. Before Thor could respond, Fury cut in.

"Miss Foster, we don't have time for questions right now. Save them for later. Right now we need to find Schmidt." Jane closed her mouth, and Thor looked away. Fury stalked out of the room, closely followed by the others. Jane quickened her pace to match Fury's.

"Before we get started, Miss Foster—" Fury started.

"Just call me Jane," she corrected automatically.

"Jane, then. Before we get started Jane, there are a few others I would like you to meet," he said as they rushed into the main laboratory. Jane stopped in the doorway, causing Loki and Thor to nearly knock her down. Thor grabbed her by the shoulders and gently led her into the lab. The small gesture ignited jealously within Loki, but he did not let it show.

Jane's jaw dropped and her hand flew to her mouth. Standing before her was a living legend: Captain America himself. Standing to his right was a woman with fiery red hair and a black bodysuit. To her left stood another man, dressed similarly to the woman, but his armor bore no sleeves; the last man had glasses and was wearing a simple dress shirt and slacks.

"Jane, these are members of the Avenger Initiative. I assume from your reaction that you already know Steve," he said, gesturing to Captain America. Jane nodded. Steve stepped forward and extended his right hand.

"Steve Rogers, ma'am. Nice to meet you," he said politely. His smile was sweet and kind, and his eyes revealed the same. She smiled back.

"This is Natasha Romanov—" Fury continued, "my right hand." She stepped forward and greeted Jane formally. The man in the black body suit approached her and introduced himself.

"Clint Barton." He nodded. Jane smiled.

"Jane Foster. Pleasure," she replied. The last man remained further away. Fury approached him, and turned to face Jane.

"This is Dr. Bruce Banner. Bruce, Jane Foster." Bruce stepped toward Jane, almost shyly, and extended his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Foster," he said quietly.

"Please, call me Jane. It's nice to meet you too." Jane said kindly. He surprised her by asking a question.

"Who is that you've brought with you?" he asked curiously, looking over her shoulder. Jane turned her head and focused on Loki. He stiffened.

"This is Prince Loki Odinson," Jane said confidently. Before she could continue, Natasha Romanov pulled out her gun and aimed it at Loki. Everyone else tensed up. Jane panicked and ran in front of him. Loki's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and so did everyone else's. Steve spoke.

"What is he doing here? He's a wanted criminal!" he exclaimed incredulously. Loki could feel the hostility in his voice.

"No! He's working with us! He's on our side!" Jane said quickly, eyes wide. Loki could hear the panic in her voice. Fury stepped in.

"Agent Romanov, stand down. Jane isn't lying; Loki has promised to work with us," he said calmly. Natasha regarded Fury's statement, and eyed Loki carefully as she stowed her weapon in its holster. Jane breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you," Jane said quietly. Natasha nodded, and stood stoically next to Clint.

"Well, now that you've met the Avengers, I think it's high time we get started." Fury said.

oOoOo

Jane felt sleep begin to pull at her as Natasha led her toward her temporary living quarters. She had been working for nearly twenty-four hours without any rest. Although she had every scientist available at her disposal, Jane felt more comfortable doing the work with just Loki. She felt that Loki was the only one capable enough to understand the technology and process involved. He was there the entire time they worked on finding the Cube and even stayed behind to continue after she had retired for the night.

Romanov stopped at a door and opened it for her. She led Jane inside.

"This is where you'll sleep; I know it isn't much, but it's comfortable enough." Jane nodded in agreement. The only things in the room were the bed, a bedside table with a lamp, and a desk.

"The bathrooms are down the hall. We'll have some clothes brought for you in the morning. If there's anything else you need, just let me know and I'll get it for you." Natasha said, not unkindly.

"Thanks, Miss Romanov. I'm good for now." Jane said tiredly. Natasha nodded and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

Jane found a pair of cotton pajamas waiting on the bed, and she changed into them as quickly as her sluggish body would allow. Not even bothering with anything else, Jane crawled into the bed and turned the bedside lamp off. As she was about to drift to sleep, she heard a gentle knock on her door. She groaned and rubbed her eyes.

"Who is it?"

"It is me," Thor answered back firmly. Jane sighed and turned the lamp back on, and swung her legs out from under the blankets. She padded over to the door and turned the knob, opening it a little.

"Can this wait until morning?" Jane asked hopefully.

"I fear there will not be any time to talk tomorrow," Thor replied.

"What's going on then?" Jane asked groggily. Thor looked uncomfortable.

"May I come in?" He asked politely. Jane blinked, thinking about it. She nodded, and swung the door wide open for him. Jane crawled back onto the bed and pulled the covers over her legs. Thor strode in and pulled the desk chair closer to Jane's bed. She pulled her knees up to her chest and looked at him expectantly.

"How have you been?" Thor asked after a long pause. Jane hoped this conversation would not consist entirely of idle conversation.

"Fine, I guess. Stressful," she replied flatly. Another long pause before he spoke again.

"I have missed you greatly, Jane," he replied quietly. Jane's heart felt constricted; an unknown emotion held it in a viselike grip, not willing to release it at any cost.

"So did I," Jane said sadly. She closed her eyes; flashing back to all of the nightmares and sleepless nights she had spent thinking of him, Jane shook her head.

"How did you get back? Here, I mean? It doesn't make sense with what Loki told me," she asked suddenly, remembering what Loki told her about the broken Asbru. Thor ducked his head, avoiding her questioning gaze. He hesitated before he spoke, almost as if there was something he did not want Jane to know.

"It was not too long after I had destroyed the Rainbow Bridge that Heimdall and I were able to repair it. It did take some time, but it was able to be done," Thor said quietly. Jane tensed up. Another silent pause ensued.

"How long have you been here? On Earth?" Jane asked slowly. In truth, she was afraid of what his answer might be.

"Nearly four Midgardian months," he replied soberly. The air left Jane's lungs; she felt as if an invisible hand had wrapped itself around her throat, preventing her from breathing. She was immobilized.

"_Four…months_? Why didn't you come and find me? Why didn't you _tell_ me you came back?" Jane choked out.

"I am truly sorry, Jane. I wish I had come to find you. I tried, but before I could reach you, the man known as Nick Fury intercepted me before I had any chance," he said sadly. _So that's why Fury didn't want me here; it wasn't because of my research, it was because of Thor_. Jane fought back tears.

"So…so you didn't even _try_ to find me? Even though I was _here_ only a little while ago?" Jane asked incredulously. Thor sighed and did not respond. Jane closed her eyes and rested her head on her knees. She tried hard to fight back the wave of emotion that threatened to drown her.

"Jane, please; I beg you to understand—" Thor began.

"No, _you_ need to understand something, Thor: I _waited_. I waited for over _six_ months for you to return. To return like you promised. Then just when I think you're never coming back, you are suddenly here at S.H.I.E.L.D.? You _knew_ I was waiting for you, yet you made _no effort_ to contact me?" Jane choked out.

Thor felt sick inside; as much as he wanted to deny it, everything Jane was saying to him was true. Fury had intercepted him, but did not say he was not to contact Jane in any way. He stood up and strode to her bedside, and kneeled on the floor.

"Jane, please forgive me. I have dealt you a great blow, but I intend to fix it. What I did was wrong, and it was not fair to you. I sincerely hope that you can forgive me; I cannot forgive myself for wronging you in the way that I did," Thor pleaded. He grasped her hands and held them close to his chest. Jane let out a small sob, and began to shake her head.

"Jane, I—I only ask for another chance. I was wrong to make you wait for me, especially for so long. I will make everything up to you in whatever way I can," he said quietly, tightening his grasp on her hands. He sat patiently at Jane's bedside, waiting for her to respond. Jane fought the next wave of sobs, and inhaled deeply. She let out a shaky breath and spoke.

"I don't know what to say, Thor; you can't possibly _begin_ to understand what I've been through, but although my heart tells me I shouldn't forgive you, I want to. I want to forgive you, so I will. But I need some space to think things over. Can you give me that?" Jane asked shakily. Thor nodded emphatically.

"Anything you wish, Jane. Thank you for your kind forgiveness. I will leave so that you may rest. I will see you in the morning." He said, standing up. He kissed the top of her hand gently, and strode out of the room.

Jane sat in her bed, feeling lost. She tried to fall back asleep, but couldn't immediately. Too many thoughts left her feeling emotionally destitute, and she felt confused.

Eventually, her body's need for sleep outweighed her mind's need to analyze her conversation with Thor. Before she knew it, sleep had taken her.

oOoOo

Loki watched as Jane left the lab. When the automatic sliding doors shut behind her and Agent Romanov, he sighed. Over the past twenty-four hours, a guard had carefully observed Jane and Loki at all times; sometimes, one of the members of the Avengers had relieved a guard. Most of the latter did not pay much attention to Jane, but Loki could always sense that they were apprehensive just being around him. Surprisingly enough, Thor had not been one of the temporary guards; even though if things were to get out of hand for whatever reason, Thor would have been the best to confront Loki face to face.

Loki reluctantly looked down at the pages and pages of notes splayed out across the few tables in the room. When they had begun to work, a few guards drove back to Jane's lab and picked up every paper they could find. Erik had also rejoined their effort; as per Jane's request. Jane had worked nonstop to try and bring S.H.I.E.L.D. closer to finding Schmidt. The thought brought a small smile to his lips. He ducked his head and began to pick up where Jane left off.

The automatic sliding doors opened, but Loki did not bother to find out who it was; instead, he focused more intently on the research in front of him. He heard heavy footsteps approach, then stop a few feet away.

"Evening, Loki," Steve said hesitantly. His anxiety was palpable. He shifted on his feet nervously. Loki continued to make notes, not regarding him. It wasn't that Loki didn't like Steve; he was simply apathetic.

"Loki, I just wanted to apologize," Steve said after a moment. Loki stopped writing, but did not look up. He was not accustomed to receiving genuine apologies.

"For what, may I ask?" Loki asked.

"For what I said earlier. The fellas had talked about you before, saying you were up to no good, and I made a judgment before I knew you based on that. I should have trusted Miss Foster," he said remorsefully. Loki turned to face him, leaning back against the table; he crossed his arms and studied Steve's face, looking for any sign of false regret, but all he could see was ingenuousness. Loki sighed.

"Think nothing of it. At least you did not pull out a weapon and direct it at me," Loki said, amused. Steve let out a sigh of relief, and laughed.

"Yeah, Miss Romanov, she's a tough one to crack," Rogers remarked. He approached the lab table and studied the papers scattered on the surface.

"What is all this?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"It is a compilation of every one of Jane's ideas and theories. They're all quite brilliant," he said softly.

"I'll say. She thought up all of this?" Steve asked, looking at Loki. Loki nodded.

"Everything here is her own work; I've just helped her along," Loki replied. Steve set down the papers and faced Loki.

"Can I ask you a question?" he asked. Loki thought about it for a moment, and then nodded.

"How come you aren't what everyone says you are? I mean, how come you aren't…'the bad guy'?" Steve asked. He was having trouble forming the right words. Loki thought about the question; he wasn't sure he had the right answer.

"I believe you mean mischievous, not 'bad'. I do not know that I can provide an answer. Things are…different, and have been for the past few months," Loki said vaguely. He was reluctant to answer, especially to Steve. Steve, on the other hand, had a feeling he knew what Loki wanted to say, but didn't want to tell him. He sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Back where I'm from, there was a girl I used to be sweet on. She was incredibly smart, and she had this…_smile_ that could make your heart melt. She believed in me, even when no one else did. I loved her more than I can say," Steve said softly. Loki was empathetic; his story was almost similar to his with regard to Jane. He looked down.

"What was your lady's name?"

"Peggy Carter. She was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I wish I could see her one last time," Steve said softly. Loki's eyebrows furrowed, and he felt a pang in the center of his heart.

"What happened to her?"

"She died; I was found frozen in the ocean after fighting off Schmidt and she died before I could ever see her again," he replied. Loki was silent, taking in everything Steve had just told him.

"You know, she changed me for the better, made me a better man than I was. I think that is what's hardest for me; knowing that I had to live without her support or strength. And I have a feeling your girl Jane did the same thing for you that Peggy did for me," Steve said knowingly before walking out.

Once the automatic glass doors slid shut, Loki turned to look at all of the notes on the lab table. Once again, he was left alone with only his thoughts to keep him company.

_Even if I love her, will she love me back? _Can _she love me after all I've done?_

Loki realized he had been gripping the side of the lab table tightly, and he released his hold. Suddenly, a wave of tiredness washed over him, and his limbs felt heavy. One of the guards from earlier had been standing outside of the room to lead him to the barracks for the night. Loki sighed heavily and slowly made his way to the hallway, and followed the guard to the room assigned to him.

When they reached the room, Loki opened it immediately and walked in. There was not much space, but it sufficed. Shutting the door behind him, Loki walked tiredly to the bed against the back wall. Outside, he could sense that there was a set of armed guards waiting just outside his bedroom door. He sighed.

With a flick of his wrist, Loki turned off the light in the bedroom. He tried to fall asleep, but sleep would not come. Instead, his mind ran rampant with thoughts of Jane. Though he shut his eyes tightly, the image of her beautiful face was seared into his mind.

oOoOo

Tony, Steve, Clint, and Bruce sat together in the break room. Each held a cup of coffee in their hands, and said nothing for quite some time. Natasha walked in and stopped briefly; the image startled her, but she continued in. She walked over to the counter and poured herself a cup of coffee, and then moved to the table where the others sat. Picking a chair next to Clint, she sat down, saying nothing.

"What's the deal? Why are you all so quiet?" Natasha asked, trying to keep a smirk from growing. Tony spoke.

"What do you think of Loki?" Tony asked, suddenly. The question surprised everyone; Steve blinked.

"What do you mean?" Bruce asked in return.

"Well, I mean, it seems like all of a sudden, Fury agrees to let Loki work with us, no questions asked, when only a day ago, there was a warrant out for his arrest. I don't know that I understand it. I guess what I really mean to ask is, do you trust him?" Tony finished. The others remained silent, still caught off guard by his abrupt question. Steve sighed.

"Well, I don't know yet, but I think he's okay. I mean, there are some things I'm sure he isn't telling us, but he will at some point. Just like you don't really trust him, he doesn't exactly trust us," he said slowly. Tony frowned. Natasha was the one to answer next.

"Well, if Jane trusts him, I think we should. She _was_ living with him for over a month and wasn't harmed or tortured." Her answer surprised Tony; he was sure she would be the last person to trust Loki. Clint nodded in agreement.

"What about you, Stark?" Bruce asked. Tony hesitated before he replied.

"I don't know. There's something...oh, I dunno, _different_ about him."

"Well, he _is_ from Asgard," Natasha pointed out.

"Not what I meant, Nat. I meant, we were told he was this insanely corrupted guy, completely evil. He sent a machine made with far better technology than I've seen down to Puente Antiguo and nearly wiped out the entire town." Before Tony could continue, Pepper Potts walked in.

"Tony, there are some things that need your attention," she stated.

"Right now?"

"Well, sooner rather than later," she replied. He waved her over, and patted the empty chair next to him. Pepper accepted the invitation and promptly sat down.

"All, I'm saying is, Loki isn't what I thought he was going to be. It's as if there's something that…_changed_ all that. He's not what we were told he was like," Tony finished. Steve looked down at the floor, a knowing smile spreading across his face. Pepper immediately noticed it, and Tony followed her gaze. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"What?" he demanded. Pepper, instantly realizing what Steve was smiling about, grinned.

"Don't you understand, Tony? It's not a _what_ that changed him, it's a _who,_" Pepper remarked.

"Jane," Steve finished. As strange as it may have sounded to Tony, he understood.

"Ah. Gotcha," he said, nodding.

"The question now, Stark," Clint began, breaking the silence, "is are _you_ willing to trust him?" Tony took a moment to respond, not sure of what his answer would be. After a moment, he looked Clint in the eye and sighed in defeat.

"Well, I guess it's worth a shot."

oOoOo

Jane was awakened suddenly by loud knocking on her door. Her eyes flew open, waiting for more knocking. When it didn't come, she shut her eyes, hoping for more sleep. Not a few moments later, the knocking became louder. This time, she sat up.

"What?" She snapped tiredly.

"Miss Foster? Fury is asking for you," came the voice. Jane's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, trying to remember the familiar voice.

"Dr. Banner?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"What time is it?" Jane asked. Of all the things not included in her small room, a clock was not one of them.

"Five-thirty in the morning." He replied. Jane groaned. _This is way too early for any human being to be awake_, she thought to herself.

"Are you there, Miss Foster?" Dr. Banner asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, give me just a minute," she said, throwing her legs out from under the blankets. It felt a lot earlier than it was. Assuming she didn't have much time for a shower, Jane threw on the jacket she had worn the previous night and slipped on her boots over her socks. She thought she should look silly, dressed in pajama pants and boots. Shaking her head, Jane made her way to the door and opened it. Dr. Banner smiled when he saw her.

"Morning, Miss Foster," he greeted with a nod of his head.

"It's Jane, remember?" Jane said, not unkindly.

"Oh, right. Good morning, Jane. I'm sorry I had to get you up so early, but Fury really wants you to begin working again; he thinks you're on the right track," he apologized. Jane waved him off.

"It's okay; I guess I just have to get used to it," she said with a small smile. "Do you have any gum, but any chance?" Jane asked curiously. Dr. Banner paused, thinking, then reached inside his jacket pocket and fished out a packet, handing her a piece. Jane popped it in her mouth and smiled gratefully.

"Thanks; I don't want to overwhelm anyone with morning breath," Jane said, laughing. Bruce grinned.

"Can I be honest with you?" Jane asked suddenly. The question caught Bruce off guard, but he nodded.

"You don't really seem like the 'Avenger' type, and I'm kinda curious to know: what are you doing here?" she asked, glancing over at Dr. Banner. He ducked his head and smiled inwardly.

"Well, you see, some time ago, I was involved in an radioactive accident; I was, well _still_ am, a physicist, and I developed a type of gamma bomb. Something went wrong, and it detonated. I wasn't harmed initially, but I was exposed to too much gamma radiation, and it altered me genetically. I developed an…_alter ego_, if you will, and it only makes an appearance when I get really upset," Bruce explained thoughtfully.

"Really? That's…incredible. What are the effects of the event?" Jane asked earnestly. Her reaction was the complete opposite of what he expected, but he obliged her with an answer.

"Promise not to laugh?" Jane raised her eyebrow, but nodded.

"Well, I turn into a large, green monster _thing_." Jane smiled, but did not laugh.

"So then, you _are_ a type of Avenger. Both the brains and the brawn of the operation," Jane remarked, amused. Bruce laughed out loud at this.

"A bit of both, I guess, but never at the same time," he said as they approached the lab room. Jane pulled her hair up, and walked toward the automatic sliding doors. No one else was there, but all of the work had remained untouched on the table. The monitors were off, and the drawing boards supplied by Stark still had excess notes scribbled on them from the previous day. Jane sighed and turned to Bruce.

"Thank you, Dr. Banner."

"Bruce," he interjected. Jane smiled.

"Bruce then. Thanks for sharing with me." He nodded, and walked out of the room. Jane made her way to the lab table, and sorted through the notes. Remembering where she and Loki had left off the previous day, she set off to work. _Where's Loki?_ Jane thought curiously. She recalled that he stayed behind after she had announced she needed sleep. _He must still be sleeping; poor guy is probably exhausted_, she said inwardly.

The automatic doors slid open, and Jane turned around quickly. Standing in the doorway was Thor, holding two steaming mugs, a wide grin on his face. He was dressed in his Asgardian armor, minus the cape. Jane could not help but feel a small pang of disappointment that the figure that entered the room wasn't Loki.

Thor approached her, and handed her one of the mugs. Jane took it gratefully, setting it down on the table.

"Good morning, Jane." Thor said happily. He gulped down the coffee, and the action made Jane giggle.

"Morning, Thor," Jane said politely. She felt unsure of how to act around him now. Thor noticed Jane's unease, and craned his neck to make sure she could see him.

"Jane? Are you well?" he asked, concerned. It bothered him that he could not read her thoughts. Jane held back the yawn that threatened to overtake her.

"I'm fine, thanks. Just thinking."

"May I ask what you are thinking?" If Jane had wanted to be truthful, she would have had several things to say, but she just didn't have the heart to tell him. _You've been gone for nearly seven months, and I've been lonely. Then your brother came along, and changed everything. Sorry Thor, but I think I may be falling in love with your brother._ _I hope you didn't expect me to wait for you that long; even though I _did _wait, I eventually gave up. You honestly didn't think that I would have waited forever, did you?_ No, she couldn't tell him; Jane closed her eyes briefly, inhaling deeply then exhaling.

"Not that much; just trying to figure out this Schmidt situation. It's a little stressful, the fate of the world in your hands," Jane said nervously. In a way, it was the truth, but not entirely.

"You will solve this, Jane. I know you will; you are undoubtedly one of the most clever women I have ever come across," he remarked with a genuine smile that instigated a pang of guilt within Jane.

Thor stepped closer, standing directly behind her. Jane winced, but Thor did not seem to notice; the gesture reminded Jane of when Loki did the same thing back in her lab. He looked over her shoulder at the notes on the table. He reached around and picked up a stack of loose notes, briefly looking them over. He grinned.

"See, Jane? You're on the right track already. You shouldn't doubt yourself."

"Well, it isn't just me; Loki helped me out a lot," Jane said quietly. It was suddenly silent between them. Thor stepped back and returned to standing at her side rather than behind her.

"I see. He always was better with sciences, and I battle," Thor admitted. Just as Jane was about to respond, the automatic sliding doors opened and a guard entered.

"Thor, you're needed in combat training immediately," he said. Thor nodded, and straightened up. Turning to Jane, he grasped her hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing her knuckles gently.

"I will find you later, Jane. Good luck with your research," he said with a smile. Jane smiled back at him halfheartedly and watched as he followed the guard out of the lab room. Once again, Jane was left alone with her thoughts.

_What do I do now?_

* * *

><p>Songs I listened to:<p>

Nuvole Bianche (live version-during the cap and loki scene)

Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (demo version-thor and jane confession scene)

Where is my Mind (Maxence Cyrin cover-loki in his room)


	13. Chapter 13

The hours passed by slowly; the day was largely uneventful. Jane and Loki worked together, but Jane didn't feel as if they were getting anywhere. She could tell that the day was turning into night, and her frustration was quickly growing.

Jane clenched her fist and brought it down swiftly on the table. The action made Loki jump.

"Jane, are you alright?" Loki asked, alarmed. Jane put her head in her hands and leaned against the table, taking a deep breath.

"Yeah. Just frustrated," she said. She was close to tears, but she tried so hard not to let it show. Loki stepped closer to Jane.

"Jane, there is something else on your mind," he said gently. He turned her around to face him, and stared into her soft eyes. The tears were threatening to fall.

_I have to tell him how I feel,_ Jane thought to herself. Just as she opened her mouth to pour out her heart, the automatic doors slid open, and Natasha stepped into the room. Her expression changed to confusion when she saw Jane's distraught face.

"Is everything alright?" Natasha asked, looking between Loki and Jane. Jane caught the flicker of suspicion in her eyes. She wiped away the stray tears that had fallen and smiled.

"Yes. Just a little stressed out right now," Jane said reassuringly. "What's up?"

"Well, the boys and I were all going out to get something to eat, since Fury gave us a few hours of break time. You want to come? Tony's treat." Jane thought about it for a moment. She didn't want to leave Loki alone at the lab; it wasn't fair to him. Loki could sense her hesitation.

"Go. You need a break," he spoke in a low tone.

"I won't leave you here alone. That's not fair. _You_ need a break too," Jane argued. Natasha stepped in.

"You _both_ are invited, you know," she pointed out. Loki paused, and Jane spoke up.

"Then we'll be there."

oOoOo

The bar was noisy and crowded. The group fought their way in against the throng of people, and Tony quickly slid into an empty booth toward the back just before someone else had the chance. Steve, seeing there was limited room in the booth, he grabbed two chairs, and Bruce took another one as well. Pepper slid in the booth to Tony's left, and Clint and Natasha to Tony's right. Steve sat to Pepper's left, and Thor sat on the edge of the booth. Loki sat in a chair next to Thor in the booth and to Jane's right, with Bruce on her left.

Once everyone was situated, Tony ordered a round of drinks for everyone. The music was loud, and with the drunken voices of the other patrons, the group had to shout just to hear each other. Tony slung his arm behind Pepper, and looked at Jane.

"How's the research coming? Are we any closer?" he shouted. It took Jane a moment to understand what he said, but when she did, she shook her head in response.

"The research is progressing, but I don't know if we're any closer," Jane shouted back. Tony cupped his hand around his ear, signaling that he hadn't heard what she'd said. Jane started to shout louder, but Thor held up his index finger.

"It goes well, but we are not much closer to finding it," Thor repeated, voice thundering across the table. Tony nodded.

The beers came, and the waitress passed them out. Tony took a big gulp and nearly spit it back out.

"What the hell?" he exclaimed.

"What?" Pepper asked.

"Beer's warm!" Tony said, with a look of disgust on his face. Tony tried to hail a waitress, but Loki held up his hand. He splayed his fingers out, and every mug of beer instantly became frosted. Steve stared incredulously, and Jane laughed at his expression. Loki gave Jane a sideways glance, and Thor clapped his brother on the back, giving him a lopsided grin.

"Still the master or magic, brother!" Thor shouted.

"What _was_ that?" Clint asked. Loki tried to suppress a smile.

"Just a parlor trick," he said vaguely. Clint shrugged, and Tony raised his mug of now cold beer.

"Parlor tricks are good enough for me! Cheers!" Everyone raised their mugs in unison, the thick glass of the pints meeting each other at the center of the table.

A little while later, Tony ordered food, and everyone was having a good time. Even Loki was feeling more relaxed than usual. Every once in a while, Jane would catch him looking at her, and blush. Thor noticed their shared glances, but thought nothing of it.

After a few more beers, Tony looked Thor in the eye, a challenging look in his face.

"I challenge you, God of Thunder or whatever, to a drinking contest," he said, pointing at him.

"I accept, man of Iron!" Thor responded readily, a glint of excitement in his bright blue eyes. Clint spoke up.

"I'm in!" he said with a laugh. Not wanting to be left out, Bruce joined in.

"It's _on_!" Tony shouted. Pepper shook her head in disbelief, and Natasha and Jane laughed. Tony whistled, and a waitress walked over lazily.

"Three boilermakers! And make it quick!" he shouted to her. The waitress nodded and walked toward the direction of the bar. Jane looked between Loki and Steve.

"You aren't going to join in?" she asked. Steve spoke up.

"It'd be unfair, since I can't get drunk. Super serum works against it. Besides, it's not my kind of thing." Steve admitted with a sheepish grin. Jane shrugged and turned her gaze to Loki.

"Alcohol dulls the mind," he said. "I prefer to have my wits about me, especially around people that have lost theirs," Loki said, a smirk growing on his mouth. Jane laughed.

"Good point."

The drinks arrived, and the waitress set them on the table. Tony, Thor, Bruce, and Clint dropped the full shot glasses in the beer mugs and began to drink on Tony's count.

"One, two, three…_go_!" Tony shouted. All four men raised the mugs to their lips and gulped down the drink. By far, Thor was in the lead, with Tony at a close second. Natasha laughed, which caused Clint's drink to spew out of his mouth. This only made Natasha laugh harder. Loki smiled and shook his head.

In the end, Thor was victorious. Surprising everyone was Bruce's second place win, with Tony following close behind.

"That was a fluke! Second round!" Tony shouted. Thor's booming laugh resounded through the booth. Jane, tired of watching the others down their drinks, stood up. Thor looked up at her as she stood.

"Jane! Where are you going?"

"Just to get some fresh air. I'll be right back," she said reassuringly. Thor grinned and nodded, turning his attention to Tony. When Jane turned away to head toward the door, Loki stood up and followed her; Pepper and Steve shared a knowing glance, and smiled.

Jane was finally able to reach the doors and she swung them open immediately, letting the fresh air overtake the stale air of the bar. That evening was particularly warm, and Jane exhaled. She sensed a presence behind her, and she turned to face Loki. He gave her a small smile and approached her.

"I'm glad you came with us," Jane said, breaking the silence.

"Well, I don't believe you would have gone had I not agreed to go." Loki remarked thoughtfully. Jane shrugged.

"But even so. It wouldn't have been fair for you, and I didn't want you to be alone while everyone else went out," Jane said defensively. Loki let out a short laugh.

"How kind of you, Jane. I appreciate it," he replied, a smile playing on the corners of his mouth. Jane inhaled the warm desert air, letting it fill her lungs. Her mind briefly flashed back to the evenings she and Loki shared on the rooftop of her lab, and the night out in the desert only a few days ago. _I have to tell him_.

"Loki, there's something I have to tell you; I—" Jane began. Before she could continue, the wind kicked up, growing powerful.

"Jane…" he replied sharply, cutting her off. Loki sensed something amiss, and gazed in the direction of the forceful winds. Quickly approaching were dark figures that seemed to come from every direction. Loki immediately recognized them, and pushed Jane behind him, backing up slowly. The figures landed, surrounding Jane and Loki. He continued to back up toward the entrance to the bar, shielding Jane, but the figures were quickly approaching.

"Halt, Loki Laufeyson," one of the figures barked. It's voice was low and gravelly. Loki paused.

"What do you seek?" Loki asked sharply, acutely aware that the figures approached still.

"What we seek has been found. What we need is you to wield it," the distorted voice continued.

"What do you mean?"

"We have been sent to retrieve you. And the girl. You _will_ come willingly, or suffer the consequences, God of Mischief." Loki rapidly thought of possible scenarios; he counted the number of figures that surrounded them. _Too many to fend off myself._ For the first time in his life, Loki cursed his lack of brawn.

The figures continued to approach, getting almost too close.

"Loki…" Jane whispered, frightened. One of the figures grabbed Jane by the wrist, and she cried out. Loki grabbed her free wrist, refusing to allow it to take her away. Suddenly, Loki thought of an escape.

"Jane, do you trust me?" he asked quickly. Jane nodded, her eyes wide. He released her wrist, and summoned the Ice Casket. He wielded it and commanded its power; Jane witnessed his skin change tone and his eyes become a bright red. It quickly encased all of the figures in ice, freezing them to the spots they stood in. The figure holding Jane captive still held on to her wrist, frozen in place.

Loki stowed the casket and placed his hand over the hand of the figure that was attached to Jane. Instantly, Jane's wrist was freed and she quickly jumped away, as if afraid the figure was going to come alive.

"Are you alright?" Loki asked, worriedly. Jane nodded her head numbly. He led Jane back into the bar. He pushed through the rowdy crowd and back to the booth where the rest of the group sat. They were all laughing at a story Tony was telling, drinking their beers.

Loki approached the table and stood. The expression on his face caused Tony to pause what he was saying and look at him.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"We need to leave. _Now,_" Loki replied sharply. The demanding tone of his voice caused everyone sitting at the booth to stop laughing. Thor stood, instantly sobered by the stricken expression on Jane's face.

"What has happened, brother?" he said, looking between Loki and Jane.

"There is no time to explain now. We _must_ _leave_, Thor," Loki repeated. Thor nodded, and the rest of the group began to slide out from their seats. Tony threw a one hundred dollar bill on the table, and the group walked quickly toward the door.

The sight of the frozen figures outside of the bar made the others gasp and stand still. Jane rubbed her wrist. After a moment, they continued to the cars parked in the lot. The group split and stepped into each vehicle, then sped off toward the S.H.I.E.L.D. base.

oOoOo

Once they arrived back at the base, Jane complained of a headache and left to lie down. Natasha immediately searched for Fury, explaining that something had happened while they were out. His expression changed, and he called for everyone to meet in the main lab.

Fury stalked into the lab, Natasha on his heels. Steve stood off to one side, next to Bruce and Clint. Thor and Loki stood next to each other, arms folded in front of their chests. Other scientists bustled about in the room, and Fury barked out an order for them to clear the lab. Once they had left, Fury crossed his hands behind his back.

"What happened?" he demanded. The group looked to Loki, and Fury's gaze landed on him.

"Skrulls attacked Jane and me outside of the restaurant." If Fury was surprised at all, he certainly didn't show it.

"How? What happened?" he demanded again. Loki began to retell the events that had taken place outside of the bar. Fury, along with everyone else, listened attentively. When he finished, they stood in silence.

"Why did they think _you_ would wield it? The Cube, I mean," Banner asked. Loki shook his head.

"Maybe because it never belonged in this realm in the first place. And nor do I," Loki remarked.

"The Cube, whatever you call it, originally belonged in the weapons vault in my father's palace. It is a weapon of Asgard. It was stole some time ago, but has been recovered," Thor finished.

"Why Jane though?" Steve asked, confused.

"As collateral, maybe. That could be why they grabbed her first instead of attacking you head on," Natasha offered flatly. The others nodded in agreement.

"Agent Romanov, come with me. We need to have a discussion with headquarters." he said. Natasha nodded, and Fury turned to face the remaining men in the room.

"For now, return to your rooms. If we can somehow find out more about the situation, then you will be the first to know," he stated. After Fury and Romanov left the main lab, everyone returned to their respective rooms, save for Thor and Loki.

"How is she, brother?" Thor asked, his expression easily revealing his worry. Loki shot him a sideways glance.

"I wouldn't be able to tell you; I've been standing here with you during her absence," Loki remarked drily. Thor opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. Loki sighed.

"I would find out myself brother, but Jane has asked me to keep at a distance for the time being. I will not go against her wishes. Would you find out how she is, for me?" Thor asked hesitantly. Loki paused in surprise, but nodded.

"Of course," Loki replied solemnly. Thor approached him, a grin on his face.

"Many thanks, brother," he said, wrapping him in a large hug. Loki stiffened, but Thor did not seem to notice. The latter walked off toward the dormitories, leaving Loki alone.

oOoOo

Jane sat in the chair next to her desk, looking down at her wrist. It was bruised, and quickly turning black and blue. She rubbed it and tried to shake her thoughts from what had transpired at the bar. She was so lost in thought that she nearly didn't respond to the light knocking at her door. Shaking herself out of her reverie, Jane stood up and walked over to the door.

"Who is it?" she called.

"Loki." Jane immediately swung the door open, coming face to face with him. He ducked his head, avoiding her direct gaze.

"Come on in," Jane said lightly, stepping aside. Loki stepped inside the room, and Jane shut the door behind him. They stood facing one another for a few moments, not saying anything. Loki suddenly remembered why he had come to see her.

"How are you? How is your wrist?" he asked.

"It's fine. Just a little bruise." Jane replied, brushing off the question.

"May I see it?" he inquired. Jane nodded, and held up her wrist. He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Jane, why did you not tell me about this when we returned?"

"Because it isn't that big of a deal." Loki gave her a stern look, and she averted her gaze. He grasped her wrist gently and wrapped his hand around it. Before she knew it, the bruise on her wrist was already fading. Her gaze met his.

"Thanks. Much better," Jane remarked with a light laugh. Loki smiled, and released her wrist. They both stood there for a few moments, not saying anything, and on impulse, Jane threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

"Thank you for what you did tonight," Jane said. She wanted to say more, but she couldn't find the words. He wrapped his arms around her in return and held her close for a few moments. He breathed her in and closed his eyes. His mind quickly flashed back to an hour earlier.

"Earlier, you were about to tell me something before the Skrulls attacked. What was it?" he asked gently, tilting his head slightly to the side. Jane's breath hitched, remembering the same thing Loki was. She took a few moments to respond, trying to find the right words.

"It was nothing," Jane lied. Loki had a feeling that Jane was torn about something and wasn't sure how to tell him. He sighed, and pulled away. Jane's arms fell to her sides, and she stuck them in her pockets.

"Thank you again."

"You should rest, Jane. You've had quite a day," he suggested. Jane nodded in agreement. He grasped her hand and pressed it to his lips lightly, and walked out into the hallway. Jane's heart ached; she cursed herself for being too afraid to tell him how she really felt. She sat down on the edge of her bed and cradled her head in her hands. _You're a coward, Jane Foster, and you always will be_, her mind cried out.

oOoOo

Loki walked swiftly down the corridor to an adjacent set of barracks where the men slept. As he approached his door, he was surprised to find that no guards stood watch. He swung the door open and walked in. He twisted his wrist upward and the lights flickered on, the door closing behind him as well. He sat tiredly on the edge of his bed, and rested his head in his hands. He felt a sad tug pulling at his heart, and he sighed. _You are a coward, Loki Laufeyson._


	14. Chapter 14

A few more days passed, and Jane began to grow distant, and hardly spoke to Loki unless she needed to. Thor was a similar story: Jane didn't want to speak with him for fear of what she might say about how she felt around Loki. It was bad enough for her that she was always thinking of him; even if she was adamant about doing her research, her thoughts always drifted back to him.

oOoOo

Loki was unused to Jane being so cold. She usually peppered him with questions, and shared everything she worked on with him, and now it stopped suddenly and he could not understand why. It affected him more than he thought it should, and it made working alongside her difficult. He craved her presence, her curiosity, but he could never tell her that.

Loki was slowly coming to terms with the fact that Jane stirred a change within him; she inspired the shift that he knew must have influenced Thor so greatly. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that a mere Midgardian woman could do such a thing, and it pained him to know he was much too afraid to say anything about it. He could never be brave enough to tell her.

oOoOo

Thor walked into the lab Jane and Loki were working in. It was silent, as usual; Jane sat on top of the lab table reviewing pages upon pages of work and Loki was scribbling away in a notebook. When Jane heard Thor enter, her gaze flew up to him. She looked back down to her notes and finished what she had been writing, and hopped down from the table.

"I'm going to get some lunch. Do you want anything?" she asked Loki. He shook his head. Jane walked out of the lab and past Thor, not saying a word. Thor sighed in discontent. Loki felt the same way; Jane's behavior worried him.

"What bothers you, Thor?" Loki asked without looking up from his notes. Thor walked closer to Loki and crossed his arms.

"Jane. I cannot help it any longer, brother; I want to be around Jane all of the time, but I don't want to disrespect her wishes. I miss her," Thor said sadly.

"Perhaps you should speak with her again." When Thor didn't reply, Loki continued. "It would not hurt to try, I suppose," Loki suggested tiredly. Thor thought about this for a few moments, debating the idea in his mind.

"You are right. I will speak with her later this evening when she is finished with this," he said, gesturing to the work on the lab table. Loki said nothing in return, instead continuing to write.

"I only hope that she will have me," Thor said quietly. At this, Loki felt a weight settle on his heart, and his shoulders tensed. He soon became wrapped up in his own thoughts.

_What were you thinking, Loki?_

_She was never yours to have, and she never will be. _

_Thor is the one she desires, not you. _

_Why would she want to be with a conniving trickster, a master of deception? _

_You could never be able give her what she needs, what she wants. Thor can._

_Give her up. Let her go._

Loki realized in that moment that he'd raised his hopes too high. He fought the choked up sensation he was feeling in his throat. He shut his eyes and inhaled shakily. Thor sensed a change in his brother, and stepped closer.

"Brother, what ails you?" he inquired worriedly.

"Nothing, Thor." Loki paused. "And I wish you wouldn't call me that," he continued quietly.

"Call you what?"

"Brother."

Thor took a step back in disbelief. "Why shouldn't I?"

"Because that is not what we are; we were never brothers, and never will be. You know that," Loki said. Thor shook his head.

"Loki," Thor said fiercely, "just because we do not share a blood bond, does not mean we don't share the bond of brotherhood. You are my brother, Loki Odinson, and you always will be. Do not forget that," Thor said, taking a step closer to Loki.

"It was all a _lie_, Thor! Don't you remember, on the bridge? _We were never brothers_!" Loki cried out in frustration, whirling around to face Thor. Thor didn't flinch, nor did he back down.

"No matter what you say, Loki, you will always be my brother. You've been by my side, _always_. When I've made a fool of myself, you were there to save me from punishment with your sharp tongue and quick wit. You were there for me in the heat of battle, defending my back. Jotun or not, you are still my brother." Thor stood up impressively, crossing his arms across his chest to prove he was entirely serious. Loki just sighed and closed his eyes tightly. Thor walked out of the lab without another word.

oOoOo

Another few hours passed. Jane tiredly read and reread her notes. She knew of a possible lead to the whereabouts of Schmidt and the Cube, but it was nearly impossible. Setting her notes down on the table beside her, Jane hopped down from the table to think.

"Have you found something?" Loki asked curiously.

"I think so, but it's so far-fetched that I don't know whether or not I should tell Fury about it," Jane replied soberly.

"Anything you may find is worth a look, Jane. Come, let's find Fury," Loki said gently. When Jane didn't reply, Loki held out his hand for Jane to take. She took it hesitantly and he led them from the lab.

They walked past several lesser labs, and through several lit corridors. They descended a few broad staircases to the training area, and Loki pushed open the heavy steel doors. Steve was boxing with Thor, and Natasha was giving them both pointers from one corner of the ring. Tony looked bored watching the two box, and Banner stood off to the side talking with Pepper. Jane and Loki quickly approached Fury, who stood with his hands clasped behind his back, observing the others in training.

"Fury, I think I may have found a possible lead," came a small voice. Fury turned around to face Jane. Loki stood stoically a few steps behind her.

Natasha, looking over briefly at Fury, did a double take once she saw who had entered. She sharply instructed Steve and Thor to stop throwing punches. Confused, they did as she said, and when they saw the two newcomers, they understood. Tony, no longer hearing the noise of fist meeting fist, snapped his attention toward the Director. Pepper and Banner looked up.

"What is it? A lead on the Cube?" Fury asked in a somewhat hopeful tone.

"Well, I think I know where Schmidt might be."

"Where, Jane?" he asked urgently.

"I think he may have gone to Asgard," Jane said hesitantly. At this, Thor and Loki stiffened.

"Impossible," Fury said in disbelief, but Jane shook her head.

"Not entirely," Jane said, turning to face Steve in the boxing ring. "Right before you were frozen, you said Schmidt touched the Cube and disappeared suddenly, correct?" Steve furrowed his eyebrows, but nodded. The others looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to continue her explanation.

"He was probably transported to whatever destination had been on his mind; now that he's had a few decades to think it over and research it further, he _knows_ where he wants to go."

"But how would he be able to transport to Asgard? The BiFrost was destroyed, Jane. Unless there's another one that we failed to pick up on, there's no possible way for him to get there in the first place," Stark said.

"He used the Cube," Jane replied flatly. The room fell silent; Jane became nervous, and was afraid that Fury would just shake off her theory, like every one she'd had before.

"How?" Banner asked. Loki was the one to respond this time.

"The Cube's power is nearly unlimited; there is not really anything it cannot do. It makes inter-dimensional travel possible, among other things. The tesseract was the most powerful item in Odin's arsenal, before it was stolen," Loki replied. Fury narrowed his gaze.

"Why didn't you mention this before?"

"Because the process is extremely delicate and difficult to understand, even for Asgardians. The possibility of a Midgardian man deciphering the process would be very small, if it were to even happen at all," Loki said. "But, if Schmidt is the man that you make him out to be, then the chance that he is in Asgard is slightly higher."

In that moment, Loki had said what everyone had feared. The room had once again fallen silent, and the expression on each face was somber.

"There has to be another way! Everything can't have been done in vain," Natasha said, slight desperation creeping into her voice. Loki looked around the room, and was able to see the agreement in everyone else's eyes; at the moment, the only people they could look to were Loki and Jane. Thor stepped forward, the promise of possibility in his eyes shining anew.

"Brother, is there not a way that we can access the secret pathways you often used?" he asked hopefully. Loki furrowed his brow.

"What do you mean?"

"You used them on the day of my coronation to bring the Jotuns into the weapons vault, and again when Father had fallen into the Odinsleep. Do you recall it?" Thor asked urgently. Loki nodded.

"Is there a way to use those pathways to regain access to Asgard?" The entire room shifted its gaze from Thor to Loki. The latter crossed his arms across his chest, biting his lip in thought. He then nodded slowly.

"Yes, but I do not know how I would be able to try this here; it was slightly different on Asgard, Thor."

"But we can still try, right?" Jane joined in, the hope returning to her voice.

"Of course. We have to," Loki replied.

"You both had better get started, then. I'll be up in the lab in a few hours to see what you have." Jane and Loki nodded, and stepped out of the training area. Before Jane could get too far, Loki tugged her arm gently, causing her to stop and turn around.

"Jane, I do not know how much magic I have access to; as I have said, the magic that was once here has since diminished. Before, the Cube was a source I could draw on, but now, I'm not entirely sure I can summon enough magic at all," he said quietly. Jane chewed her lip in thought. Seeing his expression fall caused Jane's heart to bend. She grabbed his forearms and held them tightly.

"We'll figure something out, I promise," she said, desperately trying to make him believe her. In truth, he did; her confidence had taught him to hope once again.

oOoOo

A few hours later, the automatic doors slid open, as expected; however, it was not Fury who had walked in, but Tony. Jane's eyes lit up at the sight of him, and she hopped down from the lab table and immediately walked over to him.

"Tony! Perfect timing!" she said excitedly. He laughed.

"Wow, what a welcome! Even Pepper isn't ever that glad to see me." He said with a grin. "Where's Loki?" He asked after not seeing him standing behind her.

"He said he was getting tired, so I told him to get some sleep."

"What about you? Aren't _you_ tired?" Tony asked, raising his eyebrows. Jane shook her head.

"Of course not! Not when I have all of this new information right at my fingertips," Jane remarked excitedly. Tony laughed.

"Well then! What can I do for you, sweetheart?" he said with a grin. Jane tapped her finger on his chest right over the arc reactor.

"I need the blueprints for this, Tony."

"What for?" he asked, caught off guard.

"Well, as Loki put it to me earlier, the magic on Earth has pretty much disappeared. When the Cube was here, he was able to draw some energy from it, making his magic stronger, but now that it's gone, he doesn't have that much to draw from other than the limited supply within himself. If he only uses the magic that resides in him, it won't be enough to support transporting all of you into Asgard."

"So, what you're saying is the arc reactor is going to…_help_ his magic grow stronger?" Tony asked suspiciously. Jane nodded.

"That seems to be our only option right now, Tony. It's the only way that we may be able to stop Schmidt and get the Cube back," Jane said hopefully. Stark offered her a small smile.

"Consider it done. I'll have Pepper bring them to you in the morning," he said with a nod. Jane threw her arms around his neck.

"Thank you Tony! Finally, it feels like we're getting somewhere!" she said as he laughed. "I'm going to go tell Loki; hopefully he isn't sleeping just yet." Jane said, rushing out of the lab.

oOoOo

Jane ran down the hallways, trying to see where the second set of barracks that housed the men was. She kept looking down every perpendicular hallway, wondering if she would see any sign of where she was going. Not paying much attention to the direction she was running, Jane barreled right into someone. She would have fallen if not for a pair of strong arms taking hold of her shoulders. She looked up and came face to face with Steve. Jane blushed furiously and stepped back quickly.

"I'm _so_ sorry, I wasn't paying attention," Jane said apologetically. Steve smiled sweetly.

"It's okay, Jane. No harm done," he said, sidestepping her.

"Steve, could you tell me where Loki's room is? We're one step closer to finding the Cube," Jane said excitedly. Steve smiled.

"That's great news, Jane! His room is down the hall, fourth door on your left," he said, pointing down the hallway to her right.

"Thanks, Steve!" Jane said, giving his forearm a quick squeeze before jogging down the hallway.

When Jane reached the bedroom door, she knocked quietly; she struggled to keep her excitement at bay and not burst into his room. When there was no response, Jane turned the knob and slowly opened the door. Seeing that the lights were off, Jane quickly began to shut the door, placing her free hand on the door itself to prevent it from slamming.

Before she could shut the door completely, a burst of ice-cold air tickled her face and took her breath away. She opened the door once more, and shut it so he wouldn't be disturbed. As she walked further inside, the air progressively became colder. Worriedly, she stepped closer to Loki's bed. From the twitch of his hands, she could tell he was in the throes of a nightmare. He mumbled something, but Jane couldn't understand what it was.

Jane gently sat down on the edge of the bed and reached out for one of his hands. Slowly, she touched her fingertips to the top of his hand, and then slid her palm completely over it. His hands were freezing to the touch. Jane gently began to rub her thumb over the back of his hand to try and wake him up. When he didn't respond to her touch, she released his hand and took hold of his shoulder. She shook it gently.

"Loki?" she said quietly. No response.

"Loki, wake up," Jane said, a little louder this time. Suddenly, Loki sat up in bed, an ice dagger forming around his hand. He held it to Jane's throat, and she leaned back in time so that it didn't go right through it. She held her breath; Loki's breathing was ragged and his gaze wild. His other hand twisted, turning on the lights in the room. Jane didn't move so that Loki could get his bearings. His skin had turned blue, and the red eyes that replaced his emerald ones searched her face.

"What's happening?" Loki asked, suddenly feeling confused. Jane, eyes still trained on the ice dagger responded quietly.

"You were having a nightmare." A pause. Loki's eyes darkened with realization. The ice disappeared and he dropped his hand in his lap. The tint of his skin and eyes returned to their normal colour. He struggled to find the right words.

"Jane, I'm so sorry. I did not intend to harm you."

"I know you didn't. It's natural to react like that when someone scares you out of sleep," Jane replied, sitting closer to him. It became quiet.

"Why did you come?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

"I had an idea, for how we can get you all up to Asgard, to find Schmidt. We have to use the arc reactor technology that Stark created," she replied. Jane smiled at the confused look in his eyes.

"I'll explain it later. Are you okay?" Jane asked after a few moments. Loki nodded slowly. "What happened? In your nightmare, I mean." Loki hesitated.

"Of course, you don't have to tell me, but I'm here to listen if you need it," Jane continued gently. He nodded, taking a deep breath.

"I was in Jotunheim. I was traveling with Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, as well as Thor. We had gone to seek out answers from Laufey, king of the Frost Giants. Do you recall when I told this to you?" Loki asked. Jane nodded and waited for him to continue.

"A Jotun guard goaded Thor into fighting, and before we could leave, we found ourselves in the throes of battle. There were so many Frost Giants; it was becoming nearly impossible for us to hold them back. Fandral had become seriously injured, and the Jotun numbers were growing. The only difference now was that we did not escape; all five of my companions had been captured and killed. I was forced to watch as the Jotuns slowly tortured and took the lives of Thor, of Sif and the Warriors Three. It was as Laufey stood over me, prepared to slit my throat, that you woke me up," he said numbly. Jane took his hand in hers and squeezed it tightly.

"It was just a dream, Loki; nothing can hurt you in a dream," she said reassuringly.

"_Nothing_ can hurt you in a dream? I wouldn't say that," he replied soberly. Jane only looked at him; she could tell that there was another underlying message beneath his statement. She still held a firm grasp onto his hand. He enjoyed the familiar warmth of her touch; it made him feel secure and grounded.

"Jane, I feel as if there is some…disconnect between us lately. You have grown distant, and I cannot help but wonder why. Have I said something wrong?" he asked in the silence. Jane shook her head.

"No, Loki. You haven't done anything wrong," Jane said quietly.

"Then what is it? Please, Jane. I have to know," he said with slight desperation. Jane took a sharp breath, and released his hand. She looked down at her lap and tried to be strong.

"I'm afraid. I'm a coward," she replied shakily. She played with the hem of her shirt, and Loki pressed both of his hands into her palms, forcing her to focus on him.

"Afraid of what, Jane? You are no coward; you are the bravest woman I have met. You have nothing to fear." At this, Jane choked out a sob. He wiped away a stray tear that fell down her cheek.

"How is it that I'm not afraid to tell Fury to back off, but I can't even tell someone how I feel about them?" Jane cried. Loki's heart dropped. _Thor. She means Thor._ He thought brokenheartedly.

"Telling someone how you feel about them is different than telling a person to leave you alone, Jane. More is at stake when you open up your heart to another," he said gently. He could not discourage her from telling Thor how she felt about him; he only wanted her happiness.

"Jane, you mustn't be afraid of telling him. He knows your heart, and you know his," he said with a heavy heart.

"But, what if he doesn't feel the same way? What do I do then?"

"Trust me when I say that he would not so easily give up your affection. You have waited this long, have you not? So has he." Jane looked up at him, her eyes wide.

"Really?" she asked incredulously. He nodded. Jane raised a hand to her mouth, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Loki, I—" Jane continued, trying to find the right words to say. "God, I wish I was better at this." She said, wiping her eyes. He offered her a small and encouraging smile.

"As your friend, Jane, I would sit with you until you ran out of breath," he said. Jane's eyebrows knitted together.

"Friend? Loki, I can't be only that. I can't settle for being just your friend anymore. I…I want to be _more_ than that," she said hopelessly. It was Loki's turn to be confused.

"What?" he choked out.

"Loki, it's you. You're the one I've been talking about. Who did you think I was talking about?"

"I—I thought you spoke of Thor," Loki stammered. Jane shook her head.

"No, Loki. It's _you_. _You're_ the one I love. That's what I've been too afraid to say; I tried to, that night outside of the bar. I even tried to tell you after, but I was scared," she cried.

"My heart broke, beyond repair. I was at my breaking point. But then, I met you. You came along; you were a distraction, something to keep my mind off of the things that I knew would never be.

"But then you started to pick up the pieces. You gave me a hope that I could be all right again. You had a special faith in me that I couldn't have expected from anybody else. You and I…we're like-minded. You pushed me when I didn't want to be pushed. And then when you pushed me further, I started to push back.

"You _changed_ me, Loki Laufeyson. You challenged me, supported me, argued with me, and helped me back on my feet; every time I would falter, stumble or take a step in the opposite direction, you were right there to pull me back up and encourage me to begin where I left off.

"When I found out Thor had returned, it only reaffirmed the love I have for you; he couldn't ever be the person I needed, and it took me this long to figure that out," Jane finished quietly.

Loki sat there, stunned. _This can't be_. He couldn't begin to describe the immense surprise that encompassed his entire being. He was shocked into silence.

"Please say something. Anything," Jane pleaded. He met her gaze with tears in his eyes.

"Jane, I don't know what to say." He said, his voice cracking. Jane covered her face with her hands. Immediately, Loki pulled her close. He pulled her hands away from her face and kissed her palms, then held them to his cheeks. Jane pressed her forehead against his and inhaled shakily.

"Does this mean you feel the same way?" she asked nervously. Her voice sounded so child-like, so innocent, almost as if she was afraid of the answer. He looked her in the eye.

Loki lightly kissed her nose, her cheeks, her eyes, then her jaw; he then moved down to her neck, and finally her collarbone. He then kissed her lips. He was gentle, but the embrace grew stronger and more passionate. She leaned into him, and he leaned back onto the pillow. Jane wrapped her arms around his neck, entangling her fingers through his raven hair. His hands explored her back, trying desperately to bring her closer; he felt as if there was a space between them that he couldn't fill. The need to be close to her was insatiable.

They sat back up and Loki pulled Jane onto his lap. His hand reached under her leg and settled in the space behind her knee. Her hands left his hair and cupped his neck. Her thumbs stroked his jawline.

"Yes, Jane Foster. Now and always," Loki said breathlessly, breaking their embrace. A tear trailed down her face and onto her smile. He kissed it away.

_Always_.

oOoOo

Tony watched as Jane left hurriedly and excitedly. He was surprised with her greeting, but her enthusiasm was contagious. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Pepper. After a few rings, Pepper picked up.

"Tony, why are you calling me? I'm right down the hall in the break room, you know," she said, sighing.

"I know, but I like to hear your voice," he replied as he stepped out of the lab. He turned down the hall and headed toward to the break room. He swung the door open and strode in; Steve was sitting at the table with Clint and Pepper, playing cards. When he saw Pepper, a grin spread across his face and he ended the brief phone call.

"Hey, Pep!" he said, taking the open chair next to her. She set down her hand, and looked at him with a suspicious smile.

"Hey, Tony." He just stared at her, the wide smile still marking his features. Pepper tilted her head to the side.

"What do you want _this_ time, Tony?" she asked, knowingly. Tony shook his head, looking innocent.

"I don't know what you mean, Pep. Can't I just sit with the most beautiful woman in the world and not have to answer for it?" he said easily. Pepper laughed.

"Tony, we both know you want something. Now spit it out," she demanded lightly.

"Your turn, Pepper," Clint said drily. Pepper picked up the hand she had put down and selected a few cards. Tony looked over her shoulder.

"I wouldn't choose those, Pep. Pick something else." She paused, and turned to face Tony.

"Excuse me Tony, but I _think_ I know how to play cards. As _I_ remember, you lost nearly four hundred dollars to me one time," she retorted, putting the cards down on the table. Her hand won the round. She looked back at Tony with a smirk and he laughed, shaking his head.

"Told you. Now, what can I do for you?"

"Can you have the blueprints for the arc reactor sent here by tomorrow morning?" he asked. Pepper raised her eyebrows.

"Sure Tony, but for what?"

"Jane said she figured out a way that we can get to Schmidt without having to look for a BiFrost access point thing," Tony replied casually. Everyone stopped what they were doing.

"Really?" Clint asked. Tony nodded.

"That's fantastic!" Steve said.

"I just need to start working on it as soon as possible; the sooner we can get to Schmidt, the better," Tony continued. Before too long, Pepper was already on the phone.

"Rhodey? Hi, it's Pepper. I need to ask a _huge_ favor from you; I'm sorry it's so last minute." A pause. "I need you to go to Tony's lab and pick up the arc reactor blueprints. We need them immediately. They're in the file safe. Just ask Jarvis for access; you know the code," she continued apologetically. Another pause. Pepper smiled. "Thanks, Rhodey. I owe you one," Pepper said with a smile. She pressed the end call button and looked pointedly at Stark.

"And by 'I owe you one', I mean _you_, Tony." He held his hands up in surrender.

"I know, I know. Rhodey's a good guy, and he knows he can come and collect favors if he needs 'em," Tony said with assurance. Pepper shook her head and smiled sadly.

"But we know he won't ever collect; he's too good for that. That's why I said you have to do something for him," she said, looking pointedly at Tony. The truth of Pepper's words made him pause. He nodded.

"I know."

oOoOo

An hour passed, and Jane had remained with Loki. They did not converse with each other for a while, but just sat in each other's embrace, content just to be in the other's space. Jane let out a contented sigh while Loki absentmindedly traced a circular pattern on her shoulder.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Just thinking," Jane replied, trying to suppress a smile.

"About?"

"Today. I mean, it was only a few days ago where I was completely lost, about so many things, and now I feel like I'm headed in the right direction."

"Jane, you were always headed in the right direction; it only took time and perseverance to get where you are with your research," he said. Jane let out a soft laugh. He smiled.

"What? Did I say something amusing?"

"No. But I didn't mean a step in the right direction with just my research. You're a big part of the equation too, you know," Jane said, biting her lip to keep from grinning.

"Well, we both are headed the right way, it seems." He reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers. The silence filled the wordless void. They remained that way for a few more moments before Jane began to stir, and her eyes grew heavy. He lightly kissed the top of her head.

"You should go and rest, Jane. You've been awake for much too long," Loki said softly.

"Sleep sounds like a good idea," Jane said, slowly rising to leave. She yawned as she stood to stretch. "What about your nightmares? Will you be able to sleep okay the rest of the night?" She asked with concern. Loki nodded.

"Yes, Jane, now that I have you to dream of," He said with a cheeky smile. Jane planted a light kiss on his lips.

"Sleep well, Loki. I'll see you in the morning."

"I look forward to it."


	15. Chapter 15

Jane was smiling the entire way back to her room. When she was very nearly there, she realized she had left her black notebook on one of the lab tables. She turned down the hallway that led to her temporary lab. As she walked through the automatic doors, she yawned and stretched her arms. The lights flickered on and she made her way to where the little black book sat. Jane tucked it under her shirt and looked over the scattered notes. She smiled, thinking of everything that had transpired.

As Jane turned to leave, the automatic doors slid open, revealing Thor. Jane's happiness slightly lessened; she realized that he would need to know about her and Loki, and she would have to be the one to tell him. Ultimately, Jane was worried about how he would receive the news. She never wanted to hurt him, but she couldn't pretend anymore. She only hoped that she wouldn't estrange him. Thor approached Jane with a gentle smile.

"Good evening, Jane. How are you?" he asked. Jane nodded.

"Good, thanks. Just tired. How about yourself?"

"I'm well. How is your research going?"

"Pretty well. I'm really excited about getting closer to the Cube," Jane said, letting a smile play on the corners of her mouth. Thor smiled in response.

"I always knew you could do it, Jane. You only needed to believe in yourself," he said.

"Thanks," she responded nervously. A strange silence passed between them as Thor thought of what he wanted to say.

"Jane, I—" Thor began. Jane held her hand up.

"Thor, I think we should talk about this before—"

"Jane, please hear me out. I only ask that you listen," he said gently. Jane clamped her mouth shut and looked at him with fearful eyes.

"I will not dwell on this for very long, but I must know whether or not we can be as we once were. You already know how I feel, but I only wish that we can start over, or at least begin where we left off," Thor said plainly. Jane had desperately hoped that this could have waited so she could have a few more days to collect her thoughts and tell him properly. _Not like this_.

"Please, Jane. Say something."

"Thor, I can't be the same person I was over seven months ago. Things are different now, between you and me. I've changed," Jane said carefully. _It's now or never, Jane. Just say it_. She inhaled deeply, preparing herself for what might happen.

"Thor, I'm not…in love with you any more. At least, not in the same way I was before. We can't go back to that."

"But…why can't we try?" Thor asked, both confusion and desperation slowly dripping from his tongue.

"Because…I love Loki," Jane replied. Instead of looking away, she looked into Thor's eyes to prove to him that she was telling the truth.

Thor was crushed; his heart broke. He silently gasped, as if the air had been sucked from the room. Jane felt sympathetic; she had never wanted to tell him this way, but if she hadn't said anything now, she knew she wouldn't have had the courage to tell him later.

"What? Jane, I thought—" Thor began, but could not continue. Instead, he turned on his heel and walked out of the lab and down the hallway, wanting to be as far away from Jane and a broken heart as he could get.

oOoOo

Tony and Pepper walked down a brightly lit hallway, talking animatedly. They didn't see Thor barreling right down the hall toward them until the last minute. Tony grabbed Pepper's arm and pulled her out of the way before she was knocked down. Thor passed them quickly, and both Pepper and Tony shared a glance before they turned around and followed him. Before Tony could catch up to him, Pepper held him back, silently telling him to wait. She grabbed Thor by the shoulder, asking him to stop.

"Thor? What's the matter?" she asked, concerned. He turned around to face her with a pained expression. They spoke in hushed tones, and Thor began to turn away. Pepper quickly walked back to Tony.

"Well, where's the fire? What's going on?"

"Jane broke the news to him; he wanted to be more than friends, but she didn't feel the same. He said she loves Loki now," Pepper said quietly.

"That's rough," Tony said sympathetically. Suddenly, he straightened up and went after Thor. Confused, Pepper followed him.

"Tony, what are you doing?"

"Taking him for a drink. Clearly, he needs one," he said matter-of-factly.

"Tony, maybe that isn't such a good idea. What if he gets _drunk_ out of his mind? You can't carry him back here!" Pepper said incredulously. Tony smiled.

"Don't worry, Pep. I'll bring the suit just in case. It'll be some bonding time," he said lightly. Before turning the corner to the men's dormitories, he planted a quick kiss on Pepper's cheek, making her blush.

"Don't you _dare_ get him drunk, Anthony Stark," she said, quickly recovering.

"Be back later, Pep."

oOoOo

Tony took Thor down the street to a bar twenty minutes later. He made sure to avoid the bar they had been to a few days prior to avoid any incidents.

They both sat down to the busy bar, and Tony ordered two hard drinks. He clapped Thor on the back as the drinks were set on the counter in front of them.

"So, tell me what's going on big guy," Tony said over the din of the patrons. Thor shook his head, but opened his mouth to speak.

"Jane…Jane doesn't love me any longer. She doesn't love me as I thought she did. She's in love with my brother." Thor said, his booming voice cutting over the voices of others that surrounded them.

"Let me ask you this: do _you_ still love her? Like you say you used to? Cause I have a feeling that's not what it is," Tony said in response. Thor didn't respond. Upon the lack of response, Tony raised his glass to Thor.

"To heartbreak. Cheers," he said loudly. Their glasses met, and they gulped down the drink quickly. One after another, the drinks kept coming, and Thor finished them as quickly as they had arrived. This made Tony laugh, despite the situation.

_Poor guy does _not_ handle rejection very well_, he thought to himself as he watched Thor gulp down every drink that came his way.

Some time later, Thor was completely inebriated. Tony decided it was time to leave, as it grew later and later into the night and Fury would kick his ass if he knew where Tony had taken Thor. Putting a strong hand on his shoulder, he shook Thor from his stupor.

"Come on, big guy. Let's go home," he announced. Thor looked up at him with a glazed look in his eye, and slowly nodded. He stood up and swayed.

"Easy there, buddy. Take it easy," Tony said as he hefted one of Thor's arms around his shoulders. "There you go." He guided Thor out of the bar. When they reached the car, Tony helped him in the backseat, and Thor just rested his head in his hands.

Tony sped off from the bar, driving as fast as the car would allow to return to base. _Thank god for government plates,_ Tony thought to himself with a smirk.

oOoOo

Jane had been asleep for some time when a loud bang startled her awake. She immediately sat up in bed, looking for the source of the noise. Her bedroom door had been slammed open, and a very drunk Thor stood in the doorway. Jane sighed worriedly as he stumbled in. She threw the blankets off of her legs and walked over to where he stood.

"Thor, what are you _doing_ here? Do you have any idea what time it is?" she whispered incredulously. He did not respond, but looked around helplessly in the dark. She guided Thor to sit down on her bed. Jane half shut the door, and flipped on the light. His eyes squinted at the sudden brightness, and he raised a hand to his face to shield his eyes. Jane sat on the bed next to him, leaning her arms on her knees.

"Tony took you drinking, didn't he?" Thor nodded slowly, and Jane shook her head. _Damn it, Stark_, she thought to herself in frustration. Suddenly, a strangled cry escaped Thor's lips.

"Thor—"

"Jane how could you?" he asked brokenly. The way he asked it made her heart ache painfully, making her feel even worse than she should have.

"Break your heart, you mean?" Jane asked after a moment. Thor nodded. "I never wanted to, Thor. Believe me. I just…I just wanted to do something that was right for once, and Loki is exactly that," she said softly.

"But Jane, I don't understand. Was I wrong for you?"

"No, Thor; of course you weren't. But you broke my heart too, you know," she continued gently, rubbing his back in comfort. "You have to understand that it was very difficult for me to live with that, with knowing in the back of my mind that you wouldn't return to me. No matter how hard I wanted it."

"Jane, I tried," he sobbed hopelessly. Jane rubbed slow circles into his back.

"Shh, shh. I know. But how could you even expect me to wait so long for you when I tried every possible way to reach _you_? It's not fair for you to make me wait like you did and expect us to pick up where we left off. It's not fair to you, and it's not fair to me," Jane explained gently.

"But Jane, I love you," Thor slurred thickly. Jane sighed.

"Thor, look at me." She said, almost as if she were talking to a child. She tilted her head to meet his empty blue eyes as he slowly raised his head. "You _don't_ love me; you love the _idea_ of me, and I think you know that too. Think about it for a minute: you didn't know me for more than a few days before returning to Asgard. That's hardly enough time to love someone properly, don't you think?" Jane didn't receive a response from him. Thor did not know what to say; she sighed again.

"Thor, I don't want you to be gone from my life completely; I would hate that. I know it's unfair of me to ask this of you, but I don't want to lose you as a friend; you've been so invaluable to me, and I know that now more than anything. Please understand that, most importantly. Also know that all I can give to you is my friendship in return, but nothing more," Jane said softly. "I would understand if you don't want to be friends, Thor; it's a hard thing to do, I know. But know that I'm willing to try if you are."

He looked up at her sadly, the tears streaming down his rosy cheeks. Jane pulled down the sleeves of her nightshirt and wiped them away gently. Thor grasped her hand and gently kissed it before releasing it. He nodded.

"I think…I understand now. I understand the meaning of your words, Jane, and I am at peace with what you say, and everything that's happened." He took a breath. "I believe that the least I can give you in return for my own misgivings is a friendship," he managed to say slowly. The sobs had subsided, and he was breathing normally. Jane stood up and faced him, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Thank you, Thor. You're a kinder man that you know." He bowed his head, and stood to leave, but Jane gently pushed him back down onto her bed.

"You can sleep here tonight." Jane said tiredly.

"But Jane—"

"Thor, you aren't going anywhere, not drunk like you are. You'll wake up the others and you might hurt yourself. Just crash here tonight," she said, not unkindly. Thor hesitated before lying back on the pillow. Within a few minutes, he was dead asleep. Jane shut off the light and walked out into the hallway, closing the door behind her.

Jane's bare feet padded down the concrete hallways. She turned down one of the hallways, and rubbed her eyes, yawning. Tony was walking toward her from a different hallway, and as soon as he saw her, he ducked his head. She stopped and stood in front of him, hands on her hips, eyes narrowed.

"Stark, I am going to kick your _ass_ tomorrow. Be prepared," Jane said.

"Sure thing, sweetheart," Tony replied, slightly playful. Jane shook her head.

"I can't _believe_ you got him drunk. It's a good thing he made it back in one piece and didn't try to fight with anyone," Jane said resignedly. Tony looked at her sheepishly.

"Sorry, Jane. I'll make it up to you," he said apologetically. Jane nodded.

"You'd better," she replied, rubbing her cold arms. They began walking together.

"Isn't your room _that_ way?" he asked, confused as he jabbed his thumb in the opposite direction.

"Yes, but a smashed God of Thunder is currently passed out on my bed," she said drily. Tony's eyes widened in shock.

"Really? Oh geez, he didn't try to…_do_ anything, did he?" he asked, feeling extremely guilty. Jane shook her head, and he let out a sigh of relief.

"No. We just talked, and I think we came to an understanding," she replied.

"Oh, good. Glad you two got that all figured out," he remarked. She nodded.

"Me too," Jane said, wrapping her arms around her middle. Her feet were freezing on the concrete floors.

Finally, they reached the men's wing. Jane continued down the hall to the fourth door on her left. Tony shot her a playfully suspicious look.

"Oh please. As if you aren't sharing your own room with Pepper," Jane remarked with a light laugh. Tony grinned sheepishly.

"What can I say? She's good company." He winked at her. Jane's eyes grew wide in astonishment.

"Tony!" she whispered fiercely. He laughed quietly.

"Just kidding! I told her that I would be back a lot earlier than I was. Don't want to wake up the wrath," he said. Jane shook her head with a smile.

"Goodnight, Stark."

"Night, sweetheart. Be good!" he said with another cheeky wink, and Jane rolled her eyes as he entered his room.

Jane approached Loki's door and opened it slowly. The lights were off, and he was asleep. _Peacefully, thank goodness_, Jane thought to herself as she shut the door behind her quietly. He was lying on his back, one arm over his stomach and one above his head on the pillow, his chest rising and falling rhythmically. She tiptoed over to the single bed and got into the space next to him. Unconsciously, he moved over to make room for her. Jane snuggled closer to him, resting her head in the crook of his arm. She pulled the blankets over the both of them, and sleep took her immediately.

oOoOo

The next day, Thor awoke with a throbbing headache. He sat up in the darkness, and turned on the bedside lamp. At first, he could not recall where he was; this was not his room, and definitely not his bed. He squinted his eyes, and all that had happened the previous day came rushing to the front of his mind.

_I love Loki_, Jane's voice said in his thoughts. The hurt was still fresh, and he felt almost numb to anything else. Thor tried to remember everything that had happened between that point and when he awoke. He began to slowly piece together the conversation he'd had before he blacked out. He sighed and cradled his head in his hands.

The more he thought about it, the more Thor understood that Jane was right. How could he have expected her to wait for him for seven months? How could he not expect her heart to change in such a long time? The hardest thing for him to grasp was the idea that the person Jane opened her heart to was his own brother, Loki. He clenched his fists and fought back the painful feeling in his chest.

_It is what she wants; let her be happy._

_What if she is right? What if I only loved the idea of her, of having her? _

Thor swung his legs over the side of the bed slowly, planting his feet on the floor. He had to know from Loki, if he felt the same way about Jane.

oOoOo

Tony sat in the break room at the couch, a glass of water in his hand and his feet propped up on the coffee table in front of him. Even though he hadn't had as much to drink as Thor, his head was still pounding. Pepper walked in, dressed and ready for the day, and sighed at the sight of him.

"How late did you stay out last night? You look like hell," Pepper remarked resignedly. Tony only shook his head.

"Serves you right. Well, you had better shape up soon, Tony. Fury has you in training with Steve this morning," she said. Tony groaned in response, leaning his head on the back of the couch.

"Pep, can I have some ibuprofen or something? My head's killing me," he said thickly. Pepper rolled her eyes and walked over to the first aid kit hanging on the wall. She opened it and rummaged around for a packet of painkillers. Finding what she needed, she tore open the little foil packet and emptied two pills into her palm. Replacing the first aid kit, Pepper walked over to the couch and stood in front of Tony and dropped the pills in his palm. He nodded gratefully and popped them into his mouth, followed by a large gulp of water.

"How did everything go last night?" she asked, sitting next to him on the couch. He shrugged.

"As well as could be expected. Jane's pretty pissed though," Tony immediately regretted saying it as soon as the words left his mouth. _Damn it._ Pepper raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms, sitting up straighter.

"Why is she upset?" she asked expectantly. Tony rolled his eyes at his own stupidity.

"Well, okay, I wouldn't say she's _pissed_, exactly, but not happy. I mean—"

"Tony, spit it out," she snapped.

"Well, I did exactly what you said I shouldn't do. I got him drunk, and I guess he came back here and woke Jane up. He ended up passing out on her bed so she left him there," Tony said. He tried to make it sound better than it was, but he could tell Pepper wasn't pleased.

"You mean he just _walked_ right into her room? And then _passed out_?" she asked in a fierce whisper. He realized that Pepper was thinking the situation was much worse than it actually was. His eyes widened and he threw up his hands.

"No, Pep, not like that. I talked with Jane after; I saw her walking down the hallway. She said nothing happened between them. They worked everything out," Tony said quickly. Pepper's eyes narrowed, but she eventually relaxed. Standing up, she turned to face Tony.

"Let's go. You have training," she said, switching the subject. Tony groaned again and stood up reluctantly, following Pepper as she walked out of the break room.

"Come on, Pep, can't I skip this one? I've been at every other training session!" he pleaded.

"No, Tony. Fury's putting you in a partner workout today," she replied. Tony jogged in front of her and faced her. Pepper continued to walk.

"But _Steve Rogers_? We all know Capsicle and I don't get along."

"Well, you're gonna have to learn to be a team player, Tony. That's the whole point of being on a team," Pepper pointed out. Tony rolled his eyes.

"Can't you put me with Thor? Help me out here, Pepper," he asked. She shook her head.

"Tony, you and Thor aren't evenly matched."

"What about Natasha?"

Pepper narrowed her eyes. "_No_, Tony. Fury _specifically_ wanted the _both_ of you to work together."

"I can't work with America's Golden Boy! I don't want to!"

"Tony, you're beginning to sound like a child now. Quit complaining and get over yourself," Pepper said sharply as she approached the door to the training area. She pushed on the door and held it open for Tony to pass through. He scowled as he saw Steve standing in the boxing ring, Fury standing off to the side with Natasha at his side.

"It's only for a few hours, Tony. You'll be fine," Pepper said before leaving.

"Welcome to training, Stark," Fury said. Natasha stood behind him with her hands clasped behind her back, observing them silently.

"Thanks." _Thank God I slept in sweats_, Tony thought to himself. Steve was dressed similarly, with grey sweatpants and a white form-fitting tee. Stark rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, not making any move to join Steve in the ring.

"Get in the ring, Stark," Fury commanded impatiently. Tony huffed and walked toward the ring, swinging himself up and inside to face his opponent. Steve sized him up.

"Well, Stark, you look like hell today," Steve remarked.

"Let's get this over with, Miss America," Tony bit back.

"Cut it out, fellas. Today you'll be training with hand-to-hand combat. Agent Romanov will be your instructor, teaching you basic techniques."

"Why do I need to be here, again? I thought I was the one with the superhuman suit made of advanced technology?" Tony asked. Fury ignored his question.

"Begin," Fury said. Natasha stepped onto the side of the ring, and swung herself over the ropes. Steve approached the center of the ring, and Tony reluctantly did the same. He glanced over at Romanov; she was all business today.

Natasha gave a simple set of instructions, and Tony and Steve began sparring. Fury left the room after a few minutes after being approached by Agent Coulson.

"What happened to you last night? You look horrible," Steve remarked between punches.

"Just so happens I was being a 'team player' and helping out the big guy." Tony replied nonchalantly.

"Banner?" Steve asked, mildly confused. Tony shook his head.

"Thor."

"Oh? In what way did you help him?" Steve asked, defending against Tony's blows.

"Took him to a bar." Left jab to Cap's side. Quick block.

"What? How does _that_ help him?" Steve asked, suddenly confused. Tony took a right hook to the jaw. He rubbed it thoughtfully before returning to the match.

"Well, when the girl you love breaks your heart, tell me _you_ wouldn't want a few drinks too," Tony said flatly. Steve looked bewildered, giving Tony the chance to land a punch to the gut.

"How'd he take it?"

"You tell _me_ how you think he took it."

oOoOo

Loki awoke slowly; he yawned and stretched his arms, but soon discovered an unfamiliar weight upon his right arm. He turned slowly, and was confused yet pleasantly surprised to see Jane's sleeping form next to his. A small smile reached his lips as he carefully maneuvered around her, and quietly rose from the bed. He pulled the blankets further over her and lightly kissed her forehead. Choosing some clean clothes, he picked them up and left the room, heading for the showers.

Loki turned down the hallway and came face to face with Thor. He took a step back and regarded him carefully.

"Good morning," Loki began, keeping his tone neutral and guarded.

"Same to you, brother," Thor responded, seeming unsure of anything else to say. They both stood there for a few moments in an uncomfortable silence, and Loki began to sidestep away from Thor to get to the showers. Thor followed the short distance to the communal bathroom and grabbed his arm, stepping in front of him.

"Loki, we need to speak about something," He said sadly. Loki inhaled; he was ready for what he knew Thor would say.

"What might that be?" he asked anyway.

"Jane."

"What about her?" A pause.

"Loki; I have to know. How long has this gone on?" he asked, fearful of the answer. Loki's eyes drifted to the floor.

"A short while; at least, that we've begun to truly understand how we feel…about each other," he said slowly and carefully. At least he could be confident he was being honest.

"How could you do this, brother? When you knew I loved her?" Thor asked. Loki furrowed his brows and met Thor's gaze.

"How could I what? Suddenly… suddenly develop _feelings_ that I cannot control over a woman that I cannot help but love?" Loki turned to face him. Thor searched his face, but for what, Loki was unsure.

"Why do you look at me that way, Thor?"

"Forgive me brother, but I do not know whether or not you speak the truth."

"What cause would I have to lie about this? As much as you would want me to deny it, Jane has affected me in the same way she did you when Odin cast you out."

"Because you knew she loved me, she waited for me, but you took her for your own anyway," Thor said through clenched teeth, his voice breaking. Loki said nothing.

"Why would you lie to her, Loki?" he asked desperately.

"I have not lied to her, Thor. I love her dearly; she has my heart, and I believe that I have hers. Why is that so difficult for you to believe? Why is it difficult to believe that I've come to love her as you have, and she has come to love me in return?" Loki asked. When he didn't receive a response, he continued.

"Answer me," Loki demanded icily.

"This would not be the first time you have lied to me, Loki. Or anyone. I've _loved_ her—"

"If you loved her, as you claim you have, why would you make her wait so long for you?" Loki spat. "You claim to _love_ her, but you cannot keep the promises you make. You _hurt_ her. You broke her heart. You did not see the despair that I saw; the depression and sadness that shrouded her entire being. It _killed_ her; it ate away at her, to wait for you and be just as disappointed to learn you had not returned as you said you would," he snarled in accusation. Thor's jaw was set, and he clenched his fists.

"She was searching for you, out in the desert the night I came to Midgard. I do not recall much, but I do remember the disappointment in her eyes when she saw that I wasn't you.

"I do not believe you _truly_ love her, Thor. You love the memory of what was and the idea of what could be. Jane eventually decided that she could not wait for something that would not happen. Do not believe my intentions ignoble and my affection dishonest. I may have been dishonest with you, but I cannot lie about this, about how I feel about her. I could never lie to her," Loki finished softly.

Thor did not speak; instead, he ducked his head, his body tensing up. He released his clenched fists and let his arms hang loosely at his sides. Loki shut his eyes and sighed, proceeding toward the showers. Thor's spoke suddenly, his voice so soft he almost did not hear it. Loki stopped in his tracks.

"Take care of her, brother. Love her as I have failed to."

oOoOo

Steve and Tony continued to spar for the next few hours with Natasha drilling them constantly. Her instruction was helpful, but relentless. After she thought they had trained long enough, Natasha hopped down from the rope she was balancing on.

"Good work, guys," she said. Tony and Steve nodded in thanks, too out of breath to say anything.

"Looking better, Stark. You looked like hell this morning," she said, facing him. Tony threw his arms in the air.

"Did I really look _that_ horrible? What gives?" he panted. Romanov looked at him expectantly.

"I took Thor drinking last night. Jane broke the news to him."

"What news?"

"That she loves Loki, not him. He was pretty upset about it," Tony said between breaths. Natasha and Steve exchanged a look.

"Poor guy," She lamented. Steve nodded in agreement.

"Well, Jane said they talked when we got back, so apparently they worked things out. I would bet he doesn't believe her though."

"I guess we'll have to wait and see."

oOoOo

Jane woke up, feeling slightly disoriented. As soon as she sat up, the memories from last night flooded into her memory.

"_Does this mean you love me too?"_

"_Yes, Jane Foster. Now and always."_

She smiled to herself, but then remembered what followed.

"_But I love you Jane."_

Jane pressed her palms to her cheeks, letting out a heavy sigh. _It was going to happen sooner or later. At least you told him._

Just then, the bedroom door opened, and Loki stepped through, running a hand through his damp hair. His angular features were drawn tightly in thought, and he shut the door quietly behind him. He paused and turned around, realizing that the bedroom light had been turned on. Once he saw that Jane was awake, his features softened and he smiled.

"Good morning," he said as he walked over to the bedside.

"Morning," Jane replied as she swung her legs over the side of the bed.

"Something's on your mind. What is it?"

"Well," she sighed, "Thor and I talked yesterday, and I told him about us. He didn't take it very well, and Tony took him drinking. He came in my room last night, and we talked a little more. I explained everything to him, and I think he understands now."

"Is that why you returned here last night?" Loki asked, raising an eyebrow. Jane nodded.

"Yeah. I didn't want him waking anyone else up since it was so late, so I told him he could sleep in my room," she explained. Loki nodded and kissed her cheek. He rested his forehead against her temple.

"It was a pleasant surprise, either way."

"What was?" Jane asked, slightly confused.

"Waking up and seeing you," He said cheekily. Jane laughed.

"Glad to hear it," she replied with a yawn. She stood up and pulled her hair into a ponytail.

"I look like a mess," Jane stated, frowning as she looked at her nightclothes.

"No you don't, Jane."

"Hm. Well, I feel like it," she said. Jane turned to face him, a grin growing on her lips.

"I'll meet you in the lab, okay? I have to go shower then talk to Tony about the arc reactor," She said. Loki nodded, and Jane kissed him before walking out of the room.

oOoOo

Jane returned to her room after showering and got dressed for the day. She was relieved that Thor had left; she didn't know if she could handle seeing him as sad as he was before.

Pulling a buttoned flannel shirt around her shoulders, Jane switched her thoughts to how close they were to finding Schmidt. All she needed was a way for Loki to transport the Avengers to Asgard and find Schmidt. _I just hope I'm not wrong_, Jane thought.

She left her room and headed down the hallway in search of Tony. Hopefully, the blueprints were at the lab already; she couldn't wait for Tony to begin working on it.

She turned the corner and made her way to the main lab. She opened the doors and found Fury standing with Coulson. As Jane approached them, Coulson halted his conversation and smiled lightly.

"Morning, Miss Foster. What can we do for you?"

"Have either of you seen Stark? I need to talk to him about some research."

"He's in training with Steve and Natasha."

"Thanks." Jane said, turning away. She quickly headed toward the training arena. She swung the metal doors open and found Natasha, Steve, and Tony standing in the center of the boxing ring, voices low. They turned their heads, and Jane had the strange feeling that they were talking about her. Tony recovered quickly and grinned widely.

"Morning, sweetheart. Come to kick my ass?" he asked brightly. Jane smiled and shook her head as the three of them stepped out of the ring and onto ground level. Tony sauntered over to her, crossing his arms over his chest. His forehead glistened with a thin sheen of sweat.

"As much as I would love to, not just yet. I need you in one piece to work on the arc reactor."

"Ah. That's right. Pepper put the blueprints in your lab. I talked with Fury about your idea. He had all of the supplies brought in last night. I should be able to finish one in the next day or two. _Maybe_ even tonight, if I skip training," he said, eyeing Natasha almost as if he were asking her permission. "We can test it out with Loki when it's finished and go from there."

"Perfect. I still have to explain how it might work to him, but you may need to be there, just to clarify anything I can't explain well enough," Jane said excitedly. Steve stepped forward, followed by Natasha.

"Is there anything that I can do to help? Or anyone else?" Steve asked genuinely. Jane smiled at the offer.

"That's very sweet of you, Steve, but there's nothing that I can think of right now. But if I do think of something, I'll let you know." He nodded at her, and Tony refocused her attention on him.

"I'll meet up with you and Loki later this evening just for a progress check."

"I will clear you to work the entire day on the second arc reactor, Stark," Natasha said flatly.

"Thanks, Nat."

oOoOo

A few more hours passed, and then day turned into night. Jane worked tirelessly alongside Loki, making sure that everything was perfect, that no detail was missing. It was not long before both Loki and Jane had finished with the framework for the process and they had nothing but time left on their hands as they waited for Tony. Jane sat on the lab table, as usual, and swung her legs back and forth. Loki slowly paced the room; his hands stuffed into his jean pockets, his head angled toward the floor.

"Quit pacing, you're making me nervous," Jane said with a smile. This broke Loki from his train of thought, and he looked up at her with pensive eyes.

"I'm sorry. Just thinking," he said, focusing on her as he approached the where she sat. Even when she was sitting up on the lab table, she still had to look up to meet his eyes.

"Relax," she said, running her fingers through his hair. "Tony will be here any—" Jane was interrupted by a breathless Tony Stark as he came to a sudden stop in the entrance to the lab.

"—minute," she finished.

"Finished!" he said proudly. He held something…_glowing_ in his grease-covered hands. Instead of its normal bluish-white glow, it was now a greenish-white; it hummed quietly.

"That was quick," Jane remarked as she hopped down from the lab table. Tony strode over to where she stood quickly, eager to see if the arc reactor would work for Loki.

"Well when you have a lot of time on your hands and you know what you're doing, it's a snap," he said. "Jane explained everything to you, right?" Tony asked Loki directly. Loki nodded.

"Good," he replied, looking between the two of them. "I used your notes Jane, and I took your theory and tried my best to apply it to the arc reactor technology, so it's a little different than mine. It has a higher caliber of power and slightly different energy."

"How should I use it?" Loki asked. Tony looked to Jane, feeling just as curious as Loki was.

"Try holding it for now. See if you can draw anything from it," Jane suggested. Tony handed the new arc reactor to Loki. Loki held it gingerly in his palms, afraid of breaking the seemingly delicate technology.

"This one's pretty strong; you don't have to worry about it breaking if you drop it. I made it that way specifically, just in case," Tony reassured him. Loki nodded. He turned the glowing object in his palms, feeling the hum of energy beneath it.

"Can you feel anything?" Jane pressed anxiously. He nodded slightly. He closed his eyes, focusing on the potential energy that was stored in the small device. He felt the power of it reach out for him, and he reached back. Pulling the energy from it, Loki tested it to see if he could manipulate it. Jane gasped suddenly.

The lights in the lab had shut off completely, the only source of light coming from Tony's chest and Loki's palms. The room had dropped in temperature as well.

"It works," Jane and Tony said in unison. Loki opened his eyes slowly, and the lights flickered back on.

Jane couldn't believe her eyes; her theory was _successful_. She covered her mouth with her hands, trying to cover her grin, and Tony lifted her off of her feet and spun her in a circle.

"You're a genius, Jane! Brilliant!" he said with a laugh. He smooched her cheek roughly, and Loki cleared his throat. Tony set Jane on her feet and coughed awkwardly.

"Right. I forgot. Sorry," he said somewhat sincerely as he bit back a cheeky grin.

Jane knew there was only one other way to test whether or not her theory was _truly_ a success.

"Okay, let's try something else. I want you to transport me across the room," she said, ignoring Stark's outburst of affection. Tony and Loki's eyes widened.

"Jane you don't know how it works, or what it might do. I would rather not," Loki said with concern. Tony nodded in agreement.

"He's right, sweetheart. _I'm_ not even sure what will happen. Let's not risk it, at least for now."

"No, we _have_ to try! It would just be across the room. Nowhere too far away to worry about. It'll work," Jane pleaded.

"Jane, it could be dangerous. I would rather not test it without any further practice, especially with you." Loki said, trying to reason with her. She shook her head.

"Just try it. It'll be okay," she said with a smile. Loki sighed in resignation, and reluctantly began to focus the energy from the arc reactor on transporting Jane. He was unsure of how he was going to do it, but then he remembered what Jane had said the day before: _he was probably transported to whatever destination had been on his mind_.

Loki focused on a particular spot across the room, and thought of Jane. Suddenly, a blinding flash of light blinded both him and Stark. Jane was gone. He waited anxiously for her to reappear; the expression on Stark's face revealed he was just as worried as Loki. They both scanned the room for any sign of her, but couldn't see her anywhere. The lights turned off, leaving them in darkness once again.

The lights flickered on once more. The same burst of light reappeared across the room close to the door and Jane landed hard on her back, the landing effectively knocking the air out of her lungs. Loki set the arc reactor on the lab table and ran over to her, followed by Tony.

"Are you alright Jane? Are you hurt?" he asked with alarm, kneeling on the tile floor next to her. She shifted her weight onto her elbows and nodded. He let out a sigh of relief.

"That was some landing," Tony said, in shock.

"It needs some work," Jane managed to say in agreement. Tony let out a hearty laugh, and Loki smiled. He helped her onto her feet, and the automatic doors slid open. The rest of the Initiative ran in, along with Pepper, Agent Coulson, and Fury. The confusion was clearly visible in their expressions.

"What the hell is going on here?" Fury demanded.

"All of the lights just went out! What happened?" Steve asked, confused.

"Jane! Are you okay?" Pepper asked upon seeing Loki steadying her.

"We tested my theory," Jane said, still a little out of breath. They all widened their eyes.

"Did it work?" Banner asked after what felt like an eternity of silence. Jane nodded. They all stood, jaws dropped.

"It works just like I said it would," Jane said with a smile. "You all are going to Asgard."


	16. Chapter 16

The next few days went by in a blur as everyone prepared to travel to Asgard. Jane was kept busy by spending time with both Loki and Tony as the former practiced his magic with the new arc reactor. Jane made him try transporting one person as well as multiple; just to be sure he could manipulate the energy well enough.

For the most part, Thor kept himself distanced from the group, Loki and Jane most of all. Jane tried not to pay much attention to it, but she couldn't help but feel concerned for him. He had not spoken much to anyone and even if he did, it was brief before he walked away. Most did not pay attention to it because of the rush to prepare for Asgard, but Jane did.

The day before the Avengers would set off for Asgard, Jane worked closely with Bruce Banner, making sure that all of her data was correct and that nothing was left unchecked. After hours spent in the lab reviewing the relevant notes, Bruce looked up at Jane.

"Jane, everything's here. You have nothing to worry about; your notes are sound and everything falls into place," Bruce said reassuringly.

"Well, I just want to be sure. There's a lot at stake if there's some wrong calculation somewhere. There's a lot to lose," Jane said with a heavy sigh. He turned to face her and gave her a quick squeeze on the shoulder.

"If anything, _we_ should be the ones to worry. We're the ones going up there," he said with a lopsided smile. Jane smiled in return.

"You're right. I think I need to take a break." Jane replied. The both of them walked out of the lab and down the hallway toward the break room.

Banner managed to lift her spirits by telling her of some of his own scientific misadventures. He made her laugh a few times, but as they neared the break room, their laughter dissipated as they heard yelling. Bruce and Jane looked at each other in confusion and ran the remaining distance. Jane burst through the doors to find Thor and Loki in a heated argument; it must have come close to a physical fight because both Tony and Steve held Thor back by his arms, and Clint was trying to push Loki in the opposite direction. Each had difficulty holding both men back as they spat out insults at each other.

"What the hell is going on here?" Jane asked over their raised voices. Both Thor and Loki looked at her, eyes blazing. Jane quickly stepped in between the two of them, her arms spread out to calm them down.

"Stop it, both of you! What's gotten into you? You can't fall apart the day before you leave!" Jane snapped. Both of them flexed their jaws, and broke free from those holding them back. Thor's eyes locked with Loki, almost in challenge. Tony and Steve still stood close by, anticipating another physical outbreak. She gave them a few moments to calm themselves, and she repeated her question.

"What's going on?" Jane asked firmly.

"We had a…disagreement," Loki said vaguely.

"Well, whatever it was, make up with each other. You can't start arguing at a time when you need each other the most," Jane said. She put her arms down slowly and walked over to Thor.

"Why don't you go cool down in the training area? I'll meet you there in a few minutes, alright?" she suggested. Thor contemplated the idea, and after a moment he stalked away from the break room. Jane watched as he left. Clint and the others were the next to leave, and Jane was left alone with Loki. She sighed.

"What happened?"

"We had a petty argument that was blown out of proportion. It's done now."

"What about?" she pressed. He hesitated.

"About whether or not we should leave you here alone and unguarded."

"Are you _serious_? You had a blowout argument about _that_?" she asked incredulously.

"Believe it or not, yes. Confusing as it may be, that was what he began to argue about. I don't exactly understand where it came from," he said thoughtfully. Jane shook her head.

"Loki, we already talked about this; I would only be a burden if I went with you, and _all_ of you need to go; staying behind doesn't help anyone," she replied reasonably.

"Thor believed that you would be unsafe. He believed me to be indifferent to the matter, because of the fact that you and I have already had this discussion. I told him that I was only thinking of your safety by leaving you here, but he accused me of otherwise, and told me that I could never care for you enough," Loki said with a sigh. Jane brought her hand up to his face and stroked his cheek.

"You don't really believe that, do you?" Jane asked. Loki shook his head after a few moments.

"I'm glad. Don't let him make you think otherwise, okay?" he nodded. "Besides, I don't think that this was the only thing that's bothering him. He wouldn't be that upset about only that." Loki nodded in agreement.

"He was upset when I walked in here and the moment he saw me, he became angrier." He affirmed in slight confusion.

"I'll go find out what's going on. I'll see you in a little while?" Jane asked. Loki lifted her hand up to his mouth and kissed it gently.

"Of course, Jane."

oOoOo

Jane walked down the stairwell that led to the training arena. Pushing the doors open, she found Thor using Mjolnir to strike at a moving target, but his frustration was getting the better of him and he could not focus well enough to hit anything. Jane stood by the door quietly.

"Thor?"

He turned to face her, his eyes wild and expression filled with anger.

"Jane, it is not wise to be in my company," he warned.

"Who said I was wise?" she quipped. Walking in his direction, Jane leaned up against the boxing ring, and crossed her arms. She waited patiently for him to approach her; she knew that sooner or later he would explain himself. Thor hefted Mjolnir and spun it in his hands a few times, saying nothing; instead, his gaze briefly flickered. Seeing the uncertainty in his eyes, Jane patted the space next to her on the edge of the boxing ring, inviting him to talk with her.

"What happened back there?" Jane asked when he leaned against the ring next to her. He only shook his head.

"Loki told me about what happened between you two, but I _know_ there's something you're not saying. What is it?" They were both silent for a few moments. Thor set Mjolnir on the ground beside him and crossed his arms.

"I'm anxious. About tomorrow," he sighed. Jane nodded.

"You have every right to be; you're going to meet Schmidt head on, if my theory is correct," she said consolingly.

"What frightens me most is that your theory _is_ correct," he sighed.

"Excuse me?" Jane asked, taken aback. He looked at her, understanding how he had made it sound. He held his hands up in defense.

"No no no, Jane, that's not how I meant it. What I meant was if your theory is correct, and Schmidt _is_ in Asgard, what will be left of it? I cannot help but fear that when we arrive, Schmidt will have left only a path of destruction," Thor lamented. Jane looked down at her feet; she hadn't ever thought of that. Her thoughts drifted from Thor to Loki; did he feel the same way? If what Thor said ended up being true, and Asgard was overrun by Skrulls, Thor and Loki would truly have no home left. The thought created a hollow pit in the center of her heart.

"I understand," she replied quietly. Thor said nothing. Jane couldn't think of anything else to say; how could she even offer comfort?

Jane put her hand on his forearm and looked into his bright cerulean eyes. The sadness that shrouded his gaze deepened the hollow pit inside of her heart.

"You have to believe it won't happen."

"Jane, I cannot pretend—"

"Shh. I know it's hard to do, but try; try to believe that everything is going to be all right. If you don't believe it, then none of the others will. Especially Loki. You're his brother; he needs you the most," she said softly. Thor sullenly stared at the floor, his eyes empty.

"Try and rest up; tomorrow's a big day," Jane said, standing up straight. She gave Thor's forearm a quick squeeze before walking out.

oOoOo

"The hell do you think _that_ was all about?" Tony asked Steve and the others. No one replied.

"Cut him some slack. Can't exactly expect him to be friendly toward Loki right now," Clint remarked. Steve shook his head.

"Somehow, I don't think that's what they were arguing over."

"Cap, are you _kidding_ me right now? That's _exactly_ what they were fighting about!"

"Can it, Tony," Bruce warned.

"Listen. Thor was already frustrated when he walked into the break room. Loki hadn't even said anything at that point, nothing about Jane or the both of them at all. There's _gotta _be something else. I mean, besides the obvious, why would he just _pick_ a fight with him? He wouldn't do that," Steve continued, shaking his head.

"Well, whatever it is, he must have been angry about it before he walked in. We should hope it _doesn't_ have anything to do with Loki," Clint remarked.

"What makes you say that?" Tony asked drily.

"Because Jane's right: we can't fall apart the day before we leave. We need everyone tomorrow."

oOoOo

Pepper walked into her and Tony's shared room; it was much larger than most of the others, so it allowed for two beds. She sat on hers and kicked off her shoes with a sigh. Today had been long and hectic: everyone was trying to prepare as best as they could for the Avengers to set out for Asgard. Tony had found her earlier in the day, telling her that Thor had nearly fallen apart in the break room. There were only so many hours left before they all would leave, and it didn't surprise her; there was only so much that could be done to prepare for the worst.

Pepper stood up and began to unbutton her blouse, wanting to change into a tee and hopefully get some relaxation time.

"Hey, Pep," Tony called from the doorway. She hastily began to button her shirt back up.

"Don't get dressed up on my account," he joked with a light laugh, but Pepper only narrowed her eyes. "Alright, alright, I'll wait outside."

When she heard the door click shut behind him, she quickly undressed and changed into sweats and a tee.

"Tony, you can come back in now." The door swung open and Tony walked back in.

"Love the sweats, Pep," he remarked. Pepper rolled her eyes.

"Well, they're better than a suit."

"Definitely have to agree with you on that," he said, sitting down on his bed. He kicked off his shoes and put his hands behind his head. Pepper continued to clean up her side of the room, folding clothes and putting them away neatly.

"Are you nervous for tomorrow?" she asked, trying to keep her voice light.

"I don't know. Maybe?"

"What do you mean 'maybe'?"

"Well, I'm not really sure if I feel nervous, but I know I should be. If Jane's right, then we're facing Schmidt tomorrow, but I don't know…how to feel about that," Tony explained carefully. At first, Pepper didn't quite understand, but she nodded her head. Walking over to Tony's bed, she sat down at the edge and looked him in the eye.

"Well, I guess I'll be nervous for you," she said quietly. Tony sat up and kissed her shoulder.

"Don't be nervous, Pep. Everything's gonna be okay."

oOoOo

Hours later, Loki heard the automatic sliding door of the lab slide open, and he turned around to see who it was.

"Hey, stranger," Jane said with a grin as she approached Loki. He gave her a weak smile in return. She furrowed her eyebrows and slowed her pace.

"What's the matter?" He only shook his head.

"Nothing."

"Liar. Tell me what's bothering you."

Loki looked at her, his gaze sullen. She came to stand in front of him, crossing her arms across her chest.

"It's…I just feel anxious. The trip is only a few hours away, and I don't feel prepared enough to go."

"What makes you say that?" she asked gently.

"I understand the importance of retrieving the tesseract and apprehending Schmidt, but tomorrow has come too soon. I don't know that I am really ready to leave."

"You say that as if you won't come back," Jane stated bluntly, a little confused. He only sighed.

"What happens if we're too late?"

Jane's gaze fell to the floor. He was silent, and his fear was unnaturally palpable.

"You know, when I talked to Thor, he told me he was afraid of the same thing," Jane said quietly.

"He did?"

"That's why he was angry earlier this morning, in the break room. You both are right to feel worried, and that's why my theory is bittersweet; I want it to be correct, and I want Schmidt to be taken care of, but at the same time, I'm scared because I know that Asgard is your home; it always will be, and I can't imagine what losing it would feel like. A part of me desperately hopes that Schmidt won't be there when you arrive," she continued. Grasping his hand in hers, Jane held it tightly as if to offer reassurance and help him know that she was just as afraid as he was.

"One can only hope," he replied, squeezing her hand.

"We just have to believe that everything will be okay, that it won't be as bad as we think." Loki nodded in agreement with Jane.

She pulled him away from the lab, hoping she could convince him to eat something; he hadn't eaten anything for the past few days and it was beginning to worry her.

"Where are we going?"

"You need to eat something. Come on."

Loki followed her without protest. She led him through the sliding glass doors, falling into step beside him.

"Is Fury traveling with you?" Jane asked, switching the subject. Loki shook his head.

"No; he wanted to stay behind. In case we needed to regroup I think."

"Ah. Weird. I thought he would go; that means Coulson isn't going either." Jane sighed.

"I don't think it would have made a difference Jane. Even if they came with us, there is nothing they could do."

"I know, I know. I still wish they would go anyway."

"We'll be fine, don't worry Jane," he assured her with a smile. Jane stepped ahead and walked into the break room.

At her request, S.H.I.E.L.D. had made sure the break room kitchenette was always stocked with food to be cooked. She reached into a cabinet and pulled down a few boxes of pasta and jars of sauce, setting them down on the counter. Loki reclined on the leather couch and leaned his head back. Jane began prepping dinner, and decided to make a large enough meal for everybody else. Filling two pots with water, she turned on the fire underneath them and waited for each to boil. Getting out another pot, she poured the sauce in and topped it with a lid.

Jane hopped on the countertop and swung her legs back and forth. She pulled her cell out of her pocket and sent out a group message.

_Dinner in 20. Hope you all like pasta. –Jane _

Her phone buzzed immediately; she opened the text and read it.

_Be there in 20 sweetheart!_

Jane smiled to herself and typed back a message.

_Sounds good. Will you please get Steve and Thor before you head over? Oh and let Fury and Coulson know too. Thanks Tony!_

Within a few seconds, Tony had sent her another message.

_You sure about that last one? They're killjoys. Totally not fun._

Jane laughed to herself and typed something back.

_I'm sure. It won't kill you. Maybe they'll loosen up._

_ Ugh. Fine._

_ Thanks Tony!_

_ Anything for you, sweetheart._

"Jane?" Loki asked quietly.

"Hmm?" she asked as poured the pasta in the now boiling water, stirring it with a wooden spoon.

"Come here," he beckoned softly. Jane hopped down from the counter top and walked over to him. She leaned over the back of the couch.

"Yes?"

"What are you going to do, when we leave?" he inquired. Jane hadn't really thought of it. Her brows knitted in thought, and she pursed her lips.

"Hmm. Haven't thought that far. Now that you bring it up, I might go back to town, see if Erik and Darcy are still around at the lab. Just wait around for you to get back. Hopefully Fury will let me go back."

"Why won't you stay here? I think I would feel better if you did," he said uneasily.

"Why? I don't know that I can stay here without losing my mind," Jane remarked lightly.

"But—"

"Don't worry about me, Loki. I'll be fine back in town. I'd rather wait for you there than here."

Loki sighed; as much as he wanted to beg with her to stay here in the base, protected, he knew he wouldn't be able to change her mind once it was set.

Twenty minutes later, the Initiative walked into the break room while Jane poured the pasta and sauce into a bowl. Pepper followed Tony through the doors, talking to Steve, and Clint, Natasha, and Bruce were animatedly talking about something. Jane did a quick headcount, and found Thor missing.

"Tony, forget someone?" she asked.

"No, sweetheart. I even talked to Coulson and Fury myself, but they took a pass."

"Close, but not quite," she replied, raising an eyebrow. Tony sighed and walked closer to her.

"Thor didn't want anything to eat. I tried to get him out of the training arena, but he didn't want to leave," he explained with a shrug. Jane sighed.

"I'll go get him. Serve yourselves, I'll be right back."

Jane jogged down the corridor, headed for the training area. She continued down the steps and to the right, and swung the large metal doors open. Thor stood crouched in the center of the room with his arm outstretched to the side. A second later, Mjolnir returned to his palm with a resounding smack. Jane walked closer to him and as he began to reel his shoulder back to throw the hammer once more, she put a hand on his shoulder. He slightly jumped and turned around.

"Hey there. Why don't you take a break?"

"I don't need one." Thor replied flatly.

"Yeah, you do. Sitting in here by yourself wallowing in sorrow isn't doing anyone good, much less you. I _know_ you're hungry, too. Take a break and come eat something. You're gonna need it before tomorrow," Jane argued. Tugging him along by his arm, she led him out of the training area. He didn't resist; he couldn't, not with her.

The break room was filled with raucous laughter, mostly from Stark and Clint. Tony was sharing some story, and the bright expression in his eyes and animated hand gestures made Jane smile. Thor walked slowly behind her.

"Hey big guy! Take a seat and grab a plate." Tony said invitingly. Pepper patted an empty seat right next to her and Thor sat down. Jane fixed him a plate and set it down in front of him, and Tony poured him some beer.

Jane noticed Loki was still sitting at the couch; in fact, it didn't appear as if he had moved at all. She walked over at sat down next to him, her thigh touching his. He was leaning forward on his elbows, his hands cradling his head. Jane rubbed slow circles in his back.

"Come on, Loki; you _need_ to eat something. Please? I can't be there to make sure you eat something after kicking ass tomorrow, so you might as well eat while I'm still around," she said lightly. He leaned back, and put his arm around her shoulders. He leaned close to her ear and closed his eyes.

"Jane, what am I going to do without you?" he whispered softly in her ear.

"Starve, maybe. Unless you eat something," she remarked smartly. He gave her a light smooch on her temple and stood up. Holding out his hand for Jane to take, he pulled her onto her feet and led her around to the table.

Loki pulled out a chair for her, and sat next to her. Thor gave them a short but wary glance and returned to listening to what Clint was saying.

"You know Jane," Tony said after Clint was finished, mouth half filled with pasta, "I don't understand why you haven't made dinner more often in the past few weeks. The cafeteria has _nothing_ on your cooking."

"Thanks, Tony."

"He's right, Jane. This is great," Steve said sincerely. Jane blushed, and Loki quickly squeezed her thigh affectionately, nodding in agreement.

"But really though, this is amazing. When we get back," he said before stuffing his mouth again, "you're making a 'welcome home' dinner. I mean it."

"Tony, would you _quit_ talking when your mouth's full? Jesus, Stark," Natasha remarked. Jane laughed.

"Well then, looks like _that's_ decided. You got it," she said as she dug into her dinner.

oOoOo

After the dishes were cleaned and everyone said goodnight, Jane shut off the lights in the break room and headed back toward her room. Loki had offered to wait up for her, but she told him that he needed as much sleep as he could get and instead sent him off over an hour before she had finished.

Jane stretched her arms and yawned, turning down the hallway that led to her room. As she came closer to her door, she noticed someone sat in front of it, head resting on their arms. She smiled and shook her head.

"I thought I told you to get some sleep? Are you alright?" she questioned, kneeling down in front of Loki.

"I couldn't fall asleep," he said tiredly. His eyes were struggling to remain open, and he leaned his head back against the door. _Uh huh_, she thought to herself.

"Alright. Come on," Jane said, standing. She held out both hands, and he took them and stood as well. She opened the door to her room and turned on the light. As soon as she walked in, she cringed: it was totally messy, and she'd completely forgotten. Thankfully, Loki didn't notice. Instead, he immediately lay down on her bed, and threw an arm over his eyes.

Convinced he wasn't watching, Jane began to change into her pajamas. Loki laughed to himself.

"I can still see you, you know." Jane blushed.

"Well, quit looking then."

"I don't think I want to," he replied playfully. Jane rolled her eyes and threw her shirt at him. He laughed.

"Loki!"

"Alright, I won't look. I promise," Loki said, his laugh dissipating. Jane waited a moment, and finished changing.

"You're horrible," she said, turning the light off and sidled toward the bed. "Scoot over, trickster." He obliged, and shifted onto his side so he could face her.

"You're just too tempting sometimes. Couldn't help it," he said with a smile.

"Yeah, okay sure."

"Don't believe me?" From the lack of response, he took it as a no. He moved closer to her, and slid his hand underneath her shirt and his palm splayed over the middle of her back. The gesture raised goose bumps along her skin, and she shivered. Loki smiled to himself, and rested his forehead against hers. Jane reached a hand and gently held it against his broad chest.

"Jane?"

"Hmm?" She looked up at him sleepily, her eyelids heavy. He kissed her gently, carefully, but as they grew in number so did the passion, the need, the want. Each kiss ignited his entire being, and he craved her.

Loki broke from their embrace, and inhaled shakily. Jane drew her eyebrows together, and stroked stray strands of hair away from his emerald eyes.

"Jane, I'm frightened," he admitted with a heavy heart. Jane curled up into his chest and listened to the erratic beating of his heart.

"It's okay. I'll stay with you; I'll never leave."

oOoOo

The next morning came sooner than anyone had wanted. The Initiative was ready to leave, for the most part, and Jane, Pepper, Fury, and Coulson stood in front of the Avengers to see them off. Jane gave Loki a reassuring glance and a goodbye kiss, and Pepper appeared to be doing the same with Tony.

"You'll be okay. Everything will be okay," Jane reassured Loki. He nodded and held her hand to his chest.

"You're _sure_ you won't stay here?" he asked hopefully. Jane shook her head.

"I have clearance to leave. I'm going back to town. Don't worry about me; I'll be okay. You just look out for yourself, alright?" He nodded again, and kissed Jane's forehead tenderly.

"You'll be back before you know it," she said, taking a step back.

"You all know what to do," Fury said. They all nodded.

"Find Schmidt, find the Cube. Got it," Tony remarked.

"Stark, try to take this seriously," Fury said flatly. Tony was about to protest, but Fury held a hand up to stop him.

"Remember what I told you. Keep them in line, Agent Romanov."

"I will, sir." She nodded affirmatively.

"Good luck gentlemen."

Loki summoned the second arc reactor, and began to focus on transporting the seven of them to Asgard. Before too long, he could feel the energy and magic coursing through his veins. He took one last look at Jane, who wore a smile. She was mouthing something to him.

_See you soon._

Blinding light surrounded the Initiative as they traveled at an impossible speed. The image of the S.H.I.E.L.D. base faded away as bright nothingness filled everyone's vision. Loki concentrated on the landing area, and believed the Asbru to be the safest point. As soon as the image of the bridge came to mind, the blinding light had quickly diminished and everyone landed.

Loki ensured everyone had made the trip safely, but before he could say anything, Thor tapped him on the shoulder. Loki looked up and his mouth dropped open. Asgard was surrounded by darkness; even the normal ethereal glow of the palace was gone. The unease grew steadily in their hearts, as well as in the hearts of their companions.

Loki gasped, a sharp pain suddenly between his ribs, and his hands began to shake.

"The Cube is here. I can feel it." Tony looked over at him, the mask of his suit retracted.

"Well, let's get going then."

oOoOo

Heimdall opened his eyes in the darkness. A powerful presence, no two, had entered their realm. Each was distinct but very familiar, and he did what he had rarely ever done: he smiled.

"My King," Heimdall said reverently, approaching the Allfather and Frigga. The sudden break of silence caused the others to look up in curiosity at the normally mute Gatekeeper.

"Yes, Heimdall?" Odin asked tiredly.

"The Princes of Asgard have returned to us."

oOoOo

Jane finished packing up the car with her notes and research, as well as anything else she had brought with her. She stuffed her black notebook in the waistband of her jeans. Fury had given her clearance to leave the base, and graciously provided her with a car to return to town. She sighed as she shut the trunk; she'd hoped that she could bide her time while she waited for Loki and the others to return. He could have never known how scared she felt for him; it was difficult for her to see him leave, but a feeling in her heart told her that he would return. _One can only hope._

Jane began to drive away from the base, her thoughts swimming. _Jesus Jane, he hasn't even been gone for an entire day and you're worrying yourself silly. Stop it,_ she thought to herself. Pressing the gas pedal harder, Jane sped down the highway that led back to the heart of Puente Antiguo.

She reached town within a short while; the sun had already begun to set, and the lights from the buildings began to turn on. Jane smiled. _Home sweet home_.

Parking in front of her lab, Jane shut off the car and popped the trunk open. Grabbing the box with her notes in first, she hefted it in her arms and made her way to the front of the building. She had reached for her keys, but remembered that she'd left them here when she was taken into custody. Looking around, she saw Erik's car around the side. As she moved to knock on the door, Jane noticed the door slightly ajar. She knitted her eyebrows in confusion, but swung the door open anyway.

Setting the box down on the nearest table, Jane called out for Erik.

"Erik? Are you here? I'm back! I have the most _amazing_ things to tell—" Jane began but was interrupted by a shadow in her peripheral vision. She quickly whipped around and came face to face with a fearsome-looking man. His face was abnormally shaped and the skin was the colour of blood. His smile sent shivers down her spine.

"I'm sure you do, lovely girl. But first, you and I are going to take a little trip," he said menacingly. Jane began to back away, prepared to run, but came into contact with a three rather large and intimidating Skrulls. Her eyes flickered around the room, looking for an escape route, a way to get to the car and back to the base, but the Skrulls would easily block every path she could take. Jane began to panic as two of the Skrulls took her by her arms and forced her to kneel on the linoleum tile.

"Now, pet, it would serve you well to come along without a fight," the red-faced man said, the hint of a warning in his strange voice. Before Jane could protest, everything fell away into darkness.


	17. Chapter 17

Loki hesitantly stepped forward, the others following closely behind. He stowed the second arc reactor; having returned to Asgard had somehow temporarily restored his magic. Although he was not sure why, he was relieved nonetheless.

Despite the present condition of Asgard, his worst fear had not been realized; it was not as bad as he had imagined during the past week. Nonetheless, there was a cloud of unease that shrouded his entire being; he knew it had something to do with Schmidt, but he could not say exactly what it was.

He led them down the Asbru and toward the golden palace. It was too quiet for his liking; something was definitely wrong. Thor remained close behind him, just as wary as Loki. The others looked upon their strange surroundings in stunned awe. They approached the large entrance to the palace, which was strangely unguarded. Loki became more suspicious by the second. _Where were the guards? The Skrulls?_

"Do you have any idea where we're going?" Tony piped up, breaking Loki from his thoughts. Romanov smacked the backside of his head.

"What the hell, Nat? It was just a question!" Tony spat, rubbing the back of his skull.

"Quiet!" Loki hissed. Immediately, all became quiet. Loki listened carefully for any movement, but could not hear any. He stepped back and faced the others.

"Something is…off. So far, we have not encountered _any_ Skrulls or any type of guard under Schmidt."

"Maybe they're waiting for an attack; could they have expected us?" Steve asked. Loki shook his head.

"They should not have been able to detect our arrival; I made sure of that," he replied. Everything fell silent. Loki concentrated, stretching his magic throughout the realm in search of any foreign presences. There was a small concentration of them in an area of the palace; he concentrated harder, and his eyes flew open.

"They're holding the Allfather and a few others in a prison cell near the weapons vault. I cannot see any other Skrulls," Loki finally said, shaking his head. Thor nodded.

"Free them first, increase our numbers." Thor said, a plan in mind. "If Odin is there, then it's more than likely that Heimdall, along with Sif and the Warriors Three will be there as well."

"Well. Sounds like we have a plan." Tony said lightly. "Lead the way."

oOoOo

Pepper walked through the seemingly lifeless halls of the S.H.I.E.L.D. base; now that Tony was gone, along with the remaining Avengers, there wasn't much she could do but wait. She still ran Stark Industries, but there was still a large part of her daily life that was missing. Now that Jane had left to return to town, everything had grown considerably duller; she'd thought that at least Jane would be able to distract her from the waiting game.

_Jane! She hasn't called yet!_

Pepper whipped out her phone and dialed Jane's cell number, putting the phone to her ear. It rang a few times, and then proceeded to her voicemail. _Strange…Jane usually picks up._ She left a quick message, asking whether or not Jane made it back home okay.

Pepper stowed her phone away, hoping Jane would call her back soon.

An hour passed. Then two. Then three. Still no phone call.

Pepper, beginning to feel worried, made her way to the central lab where she knew she would find Fury and Agent Coulson. The automatic glass doors slid open, and Pepper strode in purposefully. Coulson turned to look at her, breaking from his conversation with Agent Hill. He gave her a smile.

"Hi, Miss Potts. What can I do for you?"

"Have you heard from Jane lately?" she asked immediately. Coulson frowned and shook his head.

"Not since she told us she was leaving. Why?"

"I'm just…worried for her. I haven't heard from her after she promised she would call when she got back. I don't know, maybe I'm just worried over nothing, but Jane usually picks up her phone whenever anyone calls."

"And she didn't?" he asked. She shook her head.

"Well, we can give her a call. If she still doesn't answer, I'll take you over by her lab and we can see what's going on."

Pepper sighed, and as she was walking out of the room, Coulson's phone rang. She continued to walk out.

"Wait! Miss Potts!" Coulson called, holding out his hand toward her. She froze and turned. His brows were furrowed as he listened intently to the caller. A few moments later, he flipped his phone shut and faced Pepper, his mouth a hard line.

"What happened?" Pepper asked, more nervous than before.

"I just received a call from Erik Selvig asking after Jane's whereabouts. I think we need to head over there. I'll meet you out in the parking lot in fifteen minutes."

oOoOo

Coulson shut off the engine, and Pepper swung the door open, standing on the dusty gravel. Dr. Selvig stood outside of the lab, Darcy close behind him. The expressions on their faces were grave; Erik's arms were crossed in front of his chest, and Darcy kicked around the dust at her feet.

Coulson made his way toward them, Pepper at his heels. As they came closer, Pepper could see the puffiness under Darcy's eyes and a cut on her forehead. Erik's hair was disheveled and a large bruise was forming by his temple. Pepper gasped.

"What _happened_?" she asked incredulously. Darcy's eyes flitted to meet hers, tears threatening to fall.

"We were attacked. Everything just…happened so _fast_. These…_things_ came out of nowhere; they were gigantic, and just alien-like. We had no idea what they were, so we tried to run. They grabbed a hold of Erik first; he told me to run and get help, but another one of those things stopped me right before I got to the door.

"A strange looking man came through the doors as those creature things held us back; his face was red. Not just pink, but _red_. He asked us where Jane was, and we told him we didn't know. He threatened us again, and I told him she was coming back from the S.H.I.E.L.D. base." Darcy tried to finish, but she broke down. Pepper wrapped her arms around the girl, comforting her the best she could.

"Shh, it's okay. You did the right thing," she said soothingly.

"B-but I _told_ them where she was! And now I have no idea what could have happened to her!" Darcy cried out. Pepper shook her head, rubbing her back.

"It's okay, Darcy."

"What happened after that?" Coulson pressed, directing his inquiry to Selvig.

"We were beaten afterwards. We didn't even know that Jane was returning until we heard the government car pull up; at that point, the red-faced man had used some sort of cloaking ability to shield us from Jane's view. We saw everything that had transpired right after Jane came back. They took her," he said quietly. Darcy cried even harder into Pepper's shoulder, and Pepper's heart dropped.

"Is there anything else that happened? Did they say where they were taking her?"

"No." Erik replied soberly, shaking his head. Coulson nodded, looking at Pepper. She broke away from Darcy and followed him over to the car.

"What do you think happened?"

"Schmidt kidnapped her. Maybe to use her as collateral; he could have been alerted to the presence of the Avengers, and made his way here to collect Jane as a bargaining piece. If what Jane said a few weeks ago was true though, he may just be using her for information on how to use the Cube itself."

"Where do you think they took her?" Pepper asked, dreading the answer.

"Well, Erik didn't mention anything about Schmidt having the Cube, so it still has to be in Asgard. That being said, that's where she probably is."

Pepper stood in silence, feeling sick to her stomach. _How could this have happened?_

oOoOo

Loki and the others quietly made their way through the seemingly deserted halls of the palace. He swiftly navigated every hall, recalling the place that used to be his home.

He finally came to a stop, Stark and the others nearly running into him. He held his finger to his lips, and slowly pointed to the weapons vault. Inside were a few Skrulls standing guard, and a small cell off to the left. With a quick hand gesture, Loki cast a cloaking spell over the himself and the others, and waved his hand forward, telling them to follow his lead.

He silently walked down the steps that led to the weapons vault. As he approached the four Skrulls that guarded Odin's cell, an ice dagger began to form around his closed fist. Steve put his hand on Loki's shoulder and pointed to his shield. Loki was about to shake his head, but Steve held up his hand.

"I can get them all right in a row with this; they'll know something's up if just one of them falls at a time, and one of them might alert Schmidt," he whispered. Thinking about it, Loki nodded, and the ice dagger disappeared. Steve stepped forward and raised his shield, preparing to throw it. Tony and Clint gave him a wide berth, and Captain America thrust his shield toward the four Skrulls. It spun straight, and took them all down in one fell swoop. Tony stuck his fist in the air in silent jubilation. Clint and Banner grinned, and Loki lifted the cloaking spell.

"Great shot, Cap!" Tony exclaimed. Steve grinned in return and stuck out his hand. Tony took it in his and shook it once.

"Thanks, Stark."

"Hey man, if you can take out _four_ of those things in one shot, you're _definitely_ on my team."

"Alright guys, let's focus now," Banner said as Loki began to walk toward the makeshift holding cell, Thor close behind. Loki stepped back; Thor raised Mjolnir and broke a large hole through the locking mechanism, causing the door to swing open.

Thor stepped inside the small cell; inside were the Allfather, Frigga, Heimdall, and Sif and the Warriors Three. Sif stood up, a smile spreading on her tired face, and she threw her arms around his neck. He returned her embrace, and Fandral and Volstagg joined in. Hogun stood off to the side and respectfully nodded.

"Thor! I knew you'd be back!" Sif exclaimed. Thor smiled, and broke away. He moved toward his mother and father. Frigga cupped his face in her hands, and Odin placed a hand on his shoulder.

"My son, my boy, how I've missed you," she said softly.

"Thor, you are both foolish and brave to have come, but I am glad that you did," Odin remarked.

"How are all of you? How have they treated you?"

"We are fine, Thor. Though the quarters have been small, we've all managed," Frigga said. Sif nodded in agreement.

"We must get Mother to safety. Father, are you well enough for battle?" Thor asked hesitantly. Odin nodded.

"We need as many to fight as we can. Heimdall?"

"I can fight, my prince," he replied with a reverent nod.

"And we shall fight alongside you," Hogun added.

"Excellent. We need you to remain here, Mother; it is the safest place I can think of."

"Nonsense. Just because I am your mother does not make me weak. I am a formidable fighter. I will not wait for you to return battered and bruised."

"I would not argue with your mother, my son. What she says it true, and you will be hard pressed to change her mind," Odin remarked with a slight smirk.

"Fine; you must be careful though. But first I have some people to introduce to you all. And a surprise."

He walked out of the cell, and the others followed him. Loki stood with his hands at his sides as everyone filed out. Shock was clearly etched on their faces. Odin and Frigga were the last to leave the cell, and they immediately stopped in their tracks when they saw their lost son.

A few more moments of silence passed between them.

Frigga covered her mouth and ran to her son, throwing her arms around him, sobbing. He enfolded her in his arms without a word.

"Loki, oh Loki, my darling boy, you've returned to us. I've been so worried!" she cried. Breaking away, she looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Where have you been all this time? Why haven't you come home before now?"

"I couldn't. I had no way of traveling back, and my magic had diminished. I landed on Midgard, in the same place Thor had landed when he was banished," he explained gently. Frigga nodded.

"Well, I'm just glad you're safe. You're home," she said, placing a hand on his cheek.

"We don't have much time, my princes. The man called Schmidt is planning to return," Heimdall remarked.

"He left?" Tony asked. All eyes shifted toward him.

"Yes, Anthony Stark. Not too long before you arrived." Heimdall replied. Tony's eyes grew wide.

"Wait, how'd you know my name?"

"I've seen you before. Among your companions are Bruce Banner, Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton, and Steven Rogers."

"Okay. Weird."

"Where has Schmidt gone?" Thor asked.

"His location is beyond my sight. I can only sense that he is not here, but he will be soon. We must move if you wish to retrieve the tesseract."

Loki nodded, and Odin, Frigga, Heimdall, Sif, and the Warriors Three retrieved as many weapons as they could wield. Thor led the way out of the weapons vault, Heimdall at his side.

"Where is the tesseract?"

"In the throne room."

Thor made a turn down a large hallway, and turned once again. A few minutes later, they reached the throne room. The Cube shone brightly in the center of the throne room, sitting in a clear glass box. Thor was prepared to retrieve the tesseract, but Heimdall grabbed his shoulder.

"Schmidt has placed a powerful magic upon the tesseract to guard it. He would not so easily have given up his prize without a fight."

"So how do we get past it?" Banner asked. Heimdall was silent.

"Can you get past it, Loki?" Natasha asked after a few moments.

"I can try."

"I must warn you; should you get past the spell, there is an unseen force that lay behind it," Heimdall added. Tony rolled his eyes.

"That's great news. Anything else?"

"That is all," Heimdall replied, ignoring Tony's sarcasm.

After a few moments, Loki began to focus his magic on breaking the shield put up by Schmidt. At first, the shield repelled his magic, almost knocking him backwards. He stood his ground and tried once more. He was finally able to lift the shield, but when he opened his eyes, what he saw made his heart drop: over two hundred and fifty snarling Skrulls surrounded them.

A strange noise sounded beside Loki, and Tony had changed into the Iron Man suit. The only visible part of him was his head as he held his helmet under one arm.

"Whoever takes town the most Skrulls wins a round of drinks on me."

"You're on, Stark," Clint said, readying his bow and arrows. Natasha took the two pistols out of their holsters and loaded them. Banner focused his energy on changing forms and soon, he had shifted into the Hulk. Steve lifted his shield in front of himself and took out a pistol from a hidden holster. Sif and the Warriors Three wielded their own weapons, along with Heimdall, Odin, and Frigga. Thor spun Mjolnir in his hands and Loki summoned a staff he had taken from the weapons vault. Tony put on his helmet and the mask slid into place.

"May the best man win." Stark said, Almost as if on cue, the Skrulls rushed toward the small group, and they met them head on.

Within the first few moments, each had taken down several Skrulls. Thor cut down every Skrull that had crossed his path alongside his father, Sif, and the Warriors Three. Frigga proved to be adept with a set of throwing knives and a short sword. Clint shot several well placed arrows through the hearts of every oncoming enemy. Natasha shot down several as well, reloaded, and continued. Steve and Tony fought back to back, cutting each one that came their way. The Hulk swung his arm back and brought it down through a large group of Skrulls, sending them flying several meters backwards.

Almost twenty minutes into the battle, the number had not visibly decreased. Thor looked around, quickly searching for his brother. His eyes landed on him in confusion, only a few feet away, but quickly turned to panic. A horde of Skrulls were approaching Loki from behind, and he didn't even know it.

"Loki! Look out!" Thor shouted before it was almost too late. Loki turned to face Thor, and realized what he was saying. One of the Skrulls lunged forward, a dagger raised.

"No!" Thor shouted again.

Suddenly, Steve jumped in front of Loki and raised his shield. The screech of metal on metal reverberated through the air. Steve gave Loki enough time to stow the staff he'd been using as a weapon and summon the casket from Jotunheim. As soon as Steve moved out of the way, Loki used the casket and froze all of the Skrulls that stood in range. Steve's eyes grew as Loki's skin and eye colour changed.

"Loki! Why are they still coming at us?" Natasha shouted.

"I don't know! That must be why I couldn't sense any of them before; Schmidt had shielded them from my sight."

Another twenty minutes had passed, and the line of Skrulls had finally begun to diminish. Just as their numbers had begun to diminish, so did the stamina of the Avengers and their allies. Still, they continued to cut down every Skrull that came their way, not allowing any room for weakness.

oOoOo

Jane awoke in a darkened room, a bruise beginning to form on the back of her skull. She gingerly felt around it for any blood, and was relieved to find there was none; it was only tender. She tried to recall the events that led up to her capture, but everything was foggy. The only thing she remembered was saying goodbye to Loki before he left for Asgard.

_See you soon._

"Ah. I'm glad to see you're awake."

"Who _are_ you?" she asked angrily. She couldn't let him see that she was frightened.

The lights flickered on, and she was momentarily blinded. The red-faced man stepped into the room. She sat in a chair, surprisingly without any type of binding. He slowly approached her, like a wild cat stalking its prey.

"Think for a moment, pet. You already know who I am," he replied with a sly smile. Jane thought hard, biting her lip.

"What do you want from me?"

"I want your cooperation. Your knowledge," he said matter-of-factly. Jane's eyebrows drew together in confusion, but the confusion dissipated as quickly as it had formed. The realization hit her like a freight train.

"Schmidt," she whispered under her breath. Her heart dropped to her stomach.

"Yes," he said in confirmation. He drew closer still, making Jane uncomfortable. The way he looked at her was unnerving.

_Think fast, Jane. Don't let him have the upper hand_.

Jane stood up from the chair, her gaze still trained on him. She began to back up, but Schmidt stopped. He reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out her black notebook. Her eyes widened. _No!_

"Give that back," she snapped.

"Not until you agree to help me."

Jane tried to snatch it out of his hands, but he quickly dodged her. She reached for it again, but he only shook his head and laughed.

"Jane, when are you going to learn? I always get what I want."

"Not this time," she snarled. He quickly closed the distance between the two of them, grabbing her by the wrist and jerking her close enough so that his mouth brushed against her ear.

"Listen, Jane Foster, and listen closely. If you won't help me, I will make your life a living hell. Do not resist me, for if you do, everything you have ever loved will slip right through your fingertips."

Her breath caught in her throat, and she nearly choked. _Loki_. She tried to pull away, but he held her wrist even tighter. He only laughed.

"You have spirit. I like that," he said, his arm snaking around her waist, pinning her to him. "Help me and I'll let you live. You'll live like a queen, my pet."

"Let me go." Her voice began to waver.

"All it takes is one word. Just say you'll help me."

"Never," she spat, trying to find her resolve.

"If you won't help me of your own will, then I'll have to use force."

"I'll never help you."

"So be it."

Everything went dark once again.

oOoOo

Pepper and Coulson returned to the base and quickly got out of the car.

"We need to find Fury. Maybe he can contact the Avengers, tell them to—"

"He won't, Miss Potts. He won't jeopardize the mission because Jane has been kidnapped. We can inform him that Jane was taken hostage, but other than that, we have to wait for them to return with the Cube before we can do anything about it."

"We can't just _wait_ for them to come back! What happens if they don't find the Cube? What happens to Jane then?" Pepper asked incredulously. She was becoming increasingly frustrated with Coulson's calm demeanor.

They turned down several hallways and corridors looking for Fury, and found him in his office talking with a few other agents. Once he saw Pepper and Coulson, he dismissed the agents and waved them in.

"What do you have for me?" he asked immediately. Coulson was about to answer, but Pepper interrupted.

"Jane was kidnapped. By Schmidt," she blurted out. Fury narrowed his gaze.

"How? When?" Both Pepper and Coulson shared a look, and Coulson began to further explain the situation.

"We aren't sure how, sir. We talked with Darcy Lewis and Dr. Erik Selvig, and they told us what happened. Schmidt had threatened the both of them before Jane arrived back at her lab, and then when she came back, Schmidt and a few Skrulls were waiting for her. According to Dr. Selvig, they didn't tell her much, but soon after she arrived they took her. That's as much as we know."

Fury looked pensive, his chin resting on his knuckles.

"Nick, we _have_ to get her back. We can't just let him take her," she begged, trying to reason with him.

"I understand your concern, Miss Potts, but I will not risk this mission for Jane."

"How can you say that? She's done so much for this _mission_, and all you can do is _sit around_? You wouldn't even _have_ a mission if it weren't for her!" Pepper shouted, unable to contain her anger and frustration. Coulson sighed, trying to think of a way to placate her.

"Like I said Miss Potts, we have to wait for their return. There's nothing else that we can do at the moment. I'm sorry."

Pepper stormed out of the office and down the hallway, fists clenched. She went back to her room, and grabbed the car keys to Tony's Audi R8. It took her no longer than ten minutes to pack her bags and leave the base.

"Jarvis, call Tony," she instructed as she sped down the highway.

"Yes, Miss Potts."

A few minutes later, Jarvis spoke.

"Miss Potts, I cannot reach Mr. Stark at the moment. I believe he is currently indisposed."

"Well, try again!" she snapped, making a hard right turn onto the highway.

"Yes, Miss Potts."

He tried again, but no response.

"Miss Potts, he will not pick up the call, but he instructed me to tell you that he'll call you when he gets the chance."

Pepper nearly screamed in frustration and stepped on the gas.

_Hurry up, Tony._

oOoOo

When Loki had slain the final Skrull, everything seemed to have stopped. The only sound that could be heard was the panting of weary Avengers. Tony's masked retracted, revealing his sweaty face.

"Damn this temp regulator. Cut out in the middle of everything," he mumbled to himself, turning to observe the damage. Defeated Skrulls lay strewn across the throne room floor.

The others were battered and bruised, some bleeding. Natasha had a few cuts on her forehead, but nothing too serious. Steve's uniform was torn in a couple places, blood seeping through. Banner had changed back to his normal human form, and a few bruises began to form on his arms. Thor and the Warriors Three had sustained very little wounds, along with Frigga, Odin and Heimdall. Clint sported a large gash on his upper arm, blood trailing down his arm. There was not any visible wound on Loki, but as soon as he tried to take a step forward, he stumbled. Steve grabbed his shoulders before he fell forward. The others made their way toward him.

"Loki! Are you okay?" he asked, alarmed. Loki waved him off, but grimaced and gripped his stomach. He pulled his hand away and it was covered in his own blood.

"Jesus…" Clint trailed off.

"I'll be fine. Just…"

"Give him some space," Natasha commanded. Steve and the others backed away but were still close enough if needed. Loki steadied his breathing, and slowly began to repair the wound. After a few moments, he became exhausted and stopped, unable to finish the process. The gash had nearly healed and he was able to stand up tall on his own. He still felt a dull stabbing pain, but he ignored it as he made his way over the scattered bodies of fallen Skrulls and to the Cube. Everyone watched him quietly as he approached it.

Loki stood tiredly in front of the display case. He reached inside of it and took out the Cube, then turned to face his companions.

"Well then, let's get going before—" Tony began, but stopped midsentence.

"What? Before I return?" a heavily accented voice finished for him. They all turned to face the source of the voice. Schmidt stepped over the fallen guards, hands clasped behind his back. His face was the colour of blood, as well as deeply and unnaturally angled. Steve tensed up, and was about to charge at him when Tony held him back.

"I see you have taken down most of my army. What a mess. It would appear that I have greatly underestimated you and the strength of your comrades. Pity," he lamented.

"It is a trap, Cap. That's exactly what he wants you to do. Don't let him fool you," Tony warned before Steve could make another attempt at Schmidt.

"Your strong friend is correct, Captain Rogers," he remarked with a smirk. His gaze shifted to Loki, who was now holding the Cube in his hands. Schmidt shook his head as he met his gaze.

"I would not be so quick to take the tesseract, Loki Laufeyson."

"And why not? It does not rightfully belong to you," Loki spat. Schmidt only raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe so, but I believe I have something of yours that is…irreplaceable. Much like the tesseract is to me."

Loki said nothing. Schmidt narrowed his gaze. He snapped his fingers and three Skrulls came out from the side, carrying something. Loki's eyes followed them warily. They flanked the red-faced man. Schmidt moved out of the way, and Loki nearly collapsed. Jane was on her knees, her hands tied behind her back. She struggled against her captors, but to no avail.

"The tesseract, Loki. Give it to me now and I will not harm her," Schmidt demanded, hand outstretched. Loki began to walk over to him, to exchange the Cube for Jane.

"Loki, no!" Jane said. He stopped in his tracks and looked at her helplessly. She shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks. It felt as if a large crack tore through his heart.

"Please. Don't let him have it. Don't give it to him," she pleaded. _Please_, she mouthed, shaking her head. Schmidt stood, eyeing Loki expectantly. Loki found himself slowly retracting his outstretched hand with the tesseract in it with a heavy heart. Jane gave him a relieved smile, but it was short-lived; with a snarl, Schmidt grabbed a fistful of her hair and tugged her up on her feet. She whimpered and blinked back the tears that sprung up in the corners of her eyes.

Loki closed his eyes, trying to focus on somehow stopping Schmidt from taking Jane. Before he could try, Schmidt interrupted his concentration.

"Don't try to use your magic, trickster god. If you do, she dies," he threatened menacingly. He pulled out a pistol and held it to her head, resting it on her temple. Loki froze.

"That's it. Now, if you decide you change your mind, you will find me at your home." With that final statement, he backed away. With the pistol still trained on Jane, he disappeared with a loud crack.

"Jane!" Loki screamed. She was gone; Schmidt had taken her. He fell to his knees, numb to the world around him. His heart had been torn right from his chest. The Cube slid from his palm to the floor, and his vision became blurred.

The quiet in the room was unsettling. Everyone stood still, unable to move or find the right words to say.

A hesitant hand lightly touched his shoulder, and upon receiving no response, someone sat down in front of him. Loki quickly looked up; it was his mother. Loki struggled to breathe, and Frigga held him in her arms, not saying anything. He struggled to keep the sobs from racking his entire body, but he eventually gave in. He couldn't breathe properly. Frigga slowly rubbed his back in comfort.

He cried out, making the only sound in the entire throne room. The despair and anguish he was feeling spread like wildfire, seeping into the hearts of the others.

"He's going to kill her. All because I couldn't hand over this damned tesseract," he said thickly.

"Shh, don't say that. You don't know whether or not he will. You couldn't have given him the tesseract. We all would be dead, my son," she reasoned gently as she tucked the strands of hair that had fallen in his face behind his ear.

"My darling, do you remember what I told you, back when your father had fallen into the Odinsleep and your brother was banished to Midgard?" she asked softly. He met her gaze and sniffed. He shook his head, and Frigga stroked his tears away with her thumb.

"I said, 'there is always hope'. That still stands true, to this day. There is still hope that we will yet recover your Jane and defeat Schmidt. There is always a reason behind every action, behind every word. Jane telling you not to give him the tesseract, despite what may be the consequences for her, was motivated by a specific reason that you couldn't have known," she continued. "Whatever it was, she did it for you; she didn't want to see you hurt.

"Do not despair, Loki. You will find her and bring her back," Frigga finished. She kissed his forehead and stood.

Loki stood as well and ran a hand through his disheveled hair. He bent down and picked up the tesseract, stowing it along with the Jotun casket and staff. He breathed in and out steadily, and set his jaw.

"So, what are we gonna do now?" Tony asked, breaking the silence.

"We're going to find Jane, and kill Schmidt," Loki said flatly.

"Yeah, but where do we start? I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news, but that lead he gave us was a little bit of a dead end. He said that we'll find him at your home, but isn't Asgard your home?" Banner asked. Thor had the same question, but it dawned on him.

_I'm not your brother; I never was_.

"He means Jotunheim," Thor said in realization.

"Jotunheim?" Steve repeated, clearly confused.

"Yes, Jotunheim. It is the home of the Frost Giants. A frozen wasteland," Odin remarked. Steve's eyes grew wider.

"Is that…are you—"

"Yes. I'm a Frost Giant of Jotunheim. There isn't much time for explanation, but yes," Loki confirmed. Steve nodded. Tony was the next to speak.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go get your girl back."


	18. Chapter 18

A resounding crack rang out through the barren land. Jane landed ungracefully with a hard thud on the frozen floor; pain shot through her nerves and dark spots clouded her vision. As soon as she could focus, her teeth began to chatter; she'd never been in an environment so cold, and the only clothing she wore was a flannel shirt and a pair of jeans with sneakers. Schmidt grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her up to her feet, a scowl on his face. He quickly navigated his way through the ice palace.

The palace was quite formidable; the halls were not as grand as those she'd briefly seen in Asgard, but they still held a sort of intimidating quality about them that made Jane want to shrink. A tall man with several markings and scarlet eyes approached Schmidt. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to recall the familiar features. Her eyes widened slightly as she realized that the giant looked similar to how Loki had when she awoke him from his nightmare.

_Deep blue skin. Scarlet eyes._

_Frost Giant._

A feeling of unease settled in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to escape, but she knew she had nowhere to go. She warily eyed the Frost Giant as he spoke to Schmidt in hushed tones.

A few glares and angry accusations later, Schmidt dismissed the Frost Giant and continued down the hall, dragging Jane along with him. She struggled to keep up with his quick pace but she knew if he saw any type of slip up, she would be dead for sure. He kept a vise-like grip on her upper arm to the point where her forearm was rapidly becoming numb.

He led them up three flights of stairs and through a large corridor. He steered her through large double doors and into a grand bedroom off to the right. He shoved her to the floor and reached for his pistol with a grimace, pointing it at her forehead. Seeing the small barrel of the gun made Jane's heart race. Her pulse quickened and her breathing became sporadic. She began to shake as her gaze remained on the gun. Jane realized she was having a panic attack.

"Give me one good reason why I should _not_ put this bullet through your head!" he yelled out in rage. Jane couldn't find any words to respond with, acerbic or not. She trembled uncontrollably as a panic attack took hold of her.

"You have less than five seconds. _Tell me_!" he shouted, closing the gap between them. He jammed the barrel of the gun to her forehead. Jane shrunk back in fear, her arms coming up to shield herself. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the bang. The only sound in the room was his ragged breathing and her quiet gasps for air.

Schmidt narrowed his eyes and cocked the pistol, prepared to shoot her. She flinched; it made him smile, witnessing her shrink back in fear. He moved the pistol again, resting it on her temple, and she flinched again. He laughed.

"Oh, Jane Foster, I may have a plan for you yet. Your darling Loki _will_ hand over the Cube, if it's the last thing he ever does," Schmidt remarked with a snide grin. He turned away from her and walked toward the double doors of the room.

"Oh, and if you try to escape, rest assured I _will_ kill him, and I will make you watch. Don't test me," he said gravely. Jane's breath caught in her throat.

"Sleep well, Jane Foster." With a slam of the door, Schmidt was gone. Jane tried to refocus her breathing, but before too long, she fell apart. The panic attack sent small spasms through her body and the fear took hold of her just as the cold did. She rubbed her arms to be rid of both the spasms and frigid cold, but couldn't summon enough willpower. She shut her eyes tightly, thoughts of Loki spreading through her mind.

The fear in his eyes as he watched her being dragged in by three Skrulls.

The confused look on his face as she told him not to give Schmidt the Cube.

_Please. Don't let him have it. Don't give it to him._

The pain and the hopelessness as he saw her for what was probably the last time.

The last thought nearly ripped her apart; she more than likely wouldn't see him ever again, and if she did, it would be under very different circumstances.

She wished she had listened to Loki and stayed at the base. She wished she could see him one last time.

Jane buried her face in her hands and wept.

oOoOo

Pepper hadn't driven too far before the car phone rang. Once she saw who was calling, she picked up immediately.

"Tony! Are you guys alright? Something's happened since you left, something really bad," she said soberly. She pulled over hurriedly to the side of the highway and parked the car, engine still running.

"Yeah Pep. We have some good news and some bad news too. You start," he said tiredly, the connection crackling.

"Well, Jane's been kidnapped," she said. Tony sighed.

"We know. That was my bad news too."

"Wait, what? What do you mean 'we know'?"

"Schmidt tried to use Jane as a bargaining chip when we got the Cube."

"Oh god," she said, covering her mouth. She felt sick to her stomach.

"I know. She looked terrible too; bruises along her arms and one on her forehead," he said sadly.

"Oh my god. How's…"

"He's pretty torn up. He was going to give the Cube over to Schmidt for her, but she said no. She told him not to. I would have done the same thing if it were you, Pep," he said sadly.

"I can't even begin to imagine what's going on through his mind."

"Well, now we have to figure out a way to get her back. Schmidt said if Loki didn't hand over the Cube soon, he was going to kill her." Pepper began to shake her head, willing herself not to cry out in frustration and desperation. Everything seemed to continually become worse.

"I wish I could have told you earlier, Tony," she said as she covered her face with her hands.

"What do you mean, Pep?" he asked, suddenly confused. The connection faltered, but came through again.

"We found out she'd been kidnapped only a few hours after you had left. I went to tell Coulson, and he received a call from Dr. Selvig. We went to talk with them about it, and they told us everything. I wanted Fury to call you, to tell you what had happened, but he told me he wouldn't jeopardize the mission for her."

"I knew he was an asshole when I met him," Tony said, frustration clearly present in his voice. "From now on Pepper, if anything happens, you call me first. Don't wait around for Fury or Coulson to tell you no."

"I will," she said with a nod. "Do you know where they took Jane?" she asked hopefully.

"Some realm called Jotunheim. I dunno. The only ones that know about it are Thor, Loki, and their friends."

"Friends?"

"Some other Asgardians we ran into. I'll explain later. But we're trying to figure out a battle plan, so to speak."

"Well, should I go back to the base? To tell Coulson and Fury what's going on?"

"What do you mean? You aren't at the base?" he asked.

"Well, no," she confessed hesitantly.

"Why?" he asked, clearly worried.

"Because Coulson and Fury pissed me off, so I left."

"That's my girl!" he said with a laugh. "Well, get back there now. I was wondering why Jarvis told me you were in the car." he continued. Pepper put the car in gear and drove across the highway to the other side in that led back to the base.

"But go ahead, tell them what's going on. We won't be back for a little while."

"Tony, promise me two things, okay?"

"Yeah?"

"Kick Schmidt's ass."

"You can bet I will. Well, if I can get to him before Loki does anyway."

"Good."

"What's the second thing?"

"Please be careful."

"Yes, dear. Over and out."

oOoOo

Tony walked back to the group and took off his helmet. Loki stood quietly with his arms crossed while Thor began to plan alongside Sif, Heimdall, and Odin.

"Thor, your plan makes no sense," Sif said, rolling her eyes.

"Sif, it does!"

"What, we go against all of the Frost Giants as a _diversion_? Thor, it's insanity. We are greatly outnumbered, and would be killed in an instant!" she countered.

"I should go alone. I will not risk losing any of you; I will not be responsible for the loss of your lives should it come to that," Loki said solemnly. Silence fell as Sif and Thor looked to Loki. Thor shook his head and placed a hand on Loki's shoulder.

"You will not march into Jotunheim alone; I will not let you go alone, brother." He paused and offered a small smile. "I won't let you have all the glory." A ghost of a smile touched Loki's lips as he recalled when he had said something similar to Thor. Thor turned back to Sif to continue discussing battle plans.

Odin and Heimdall stood back and watched with the others as Sif and Thor argued.

"Look, both of you. Arguing isn't going to get us anywhere. We need a plan, and fast, if we want to get Jane back alive," Natasha snapped. She winced, realizing how harsh her words were.

"I'm sorry. I just…this is just not what I imagined when I thought we would be going after Schmidt," she amended, shaking her head.

"Don't be sorry. You're right, Natasha. We should not be arguing," Thor said. Sif nodded in agreement, her shoulders falling.

"So then, what should we do?" Sif asked. She knelt in front of Odin. "Allfather, what do you propose we do?"

"To an extent, Thor is correct. The best way to retrieve the girl is through a diversion. But not directly," he said vaguely.

"What do you mean?" Clint asked bluntly. Odin turned his gaze on him.

"One of you, possibly two if necessary, will retrieve Jane, but it cannot be Loki," he said flatly. Loki looked up at the Allfather, confusion written on his features.

"What?"

"My son, you cannot be the one to save her. He will expect that, and be expecting you. If you wish to leave with the tesseract and your life intact, you must allow someone else to save the girl. Otherwise, it will all be for naught," he explained. Loki's gaze fell to the floor and he set his jaw. He knew the Allfather was right; he couldn't be the one to save Jane, no matter how much he wanted to.

"Well, who is going to be the one to go after her? Probably better to have someone who can definitely fend for themselves and get her outta there quickly," Bruce observed.

"We could do it; Barton and I could get her," Natasha offered. Clint gave her an _are you serious?_ look and shook his head.

"Natasha, no. The both of us would be able to get out alive, but not with her. Us against a bunch of Frost Giants? No way. Remember we're just us: no suit, no super strength, nothing special. We wouldn't be able to save Jane." Everything fell silent again.

"I'll do it. I'll go after Jane."

Loki looked over at his brother and shook his head.

"Thor, it's madness. I won't let you go alone."

"You cannot go with me; I have to go alone. I can get her out of there and back—"

"No, Thor. I will _not_ let you," Loki replied sharply, voice raw.

"Loki, you know I can do it. You know I—"

"_No_, Thor!"

"Why not? Do you not trust me?" Thor asked, hurt in both his eyes and voice. Loki turned to face him, eyes bloodshot.

"I trust you with my life; I trust you more than anything," Loki began, trying to regain composure and a steady tone of voice, "but I refuse to lose my only brother. I cannot bear to lose anyone else." He finished quietly, voice wavering.

Thor stepped back, almost as if he had just been struck across the face. Loki's confession was unexpected, but from the glint in his eyes he knew his statement to be sincere. They stood for a few moments in silence, their gazes locked on each other. Thor stepped closer to Loki and wrapped him tightly in his embrace.

"Brother, you will never lose me. As long as we see the stars in the evening sky, I will be by your side. I will follow you to the ends of the Yggdrasil and beyond."

Loki nodded into Thor's shoulder, and pulled away.

"Besides, you couldn't be rid of me if you tried. I would always find my way back to you," he said with a grin. For a moment, it was as if the both were boys again; smiling with each other, prepared to take on the world side by side.

oOoOo

Pepper pulled back into the base's parking lot and took a deep breath before shutting off the engine and opening the door. She stepped out and walked quickly back into the base, scanning her identification card by the large metal doors and proceeding inside. She made her way back to Fury's office, but he was no longer there. Moving on to the main lab, Pepper straightened her skirt and her jacket sleeves before entering. The large glass doors slid open with ease and Fury's gaze turned to her.

"I received a call from Tony," Pepper said flatly before he could say anything. Fury's gaze narrowed.

"How? And why did he call you instead of check in with the base?"

"I hardly think it matters whether or not he checked in with you, Director Fury. I received the phone call when I left; he called me as I was driving," she explained further. When Fury did not respond, she continued.

"He is aware of the situation regarding Jane. Schmidt had returned to Asgard while they were retrieving the Cube; he threatened to kill Jane if Loki did not hand over the Cube. According to what Tony told me, Jane told him not to give it to him, so he didn't. He still has it in his possession."

"Well, were they able to recover Miss Foster?" he asked after a moment.

"No; Schmidt disappeared with her," Pepper replied, shaking her head. "But, the Avengers are en route to Jotunheim."

"What? Where's Jotunheim?"

"Another realm; apparently that's where Schmidt is keeping her."

Fury only sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Well I suppose it's time to play the waiting game."

oOoOo

The blinding light disappeared as swiftly as it had come.

The sky was dark, and the air frigid. Each of them could see their breath in front of them. Tony shivered, proceeding to activate the Iron Man suit. Natasha zipped up her bodysuit as the breeze kicked up. Sif and the Warriors Three stood nearby, dressed a little bit better for Jotunheim than the rest. Steve stood just behind Thor and Loki, and Bruce stood off to the side.

"You said this was the world of the Frost Giants, but you didn't say it would be _this_ cold," Clint remarked as he rubbed his bare arms.

"Heimdall _did_ warn you, my friend," Fandral said with a light chuckle. Barton shook his head. Loki stepped forward cautiously and scanned the landscape. Nothing.

"This way," Loki said in a hushed tone. The others followed silently. Thor spared a glance at his brother, and Loki spoke.

"What do you plan to do?"

"When we get closer to the ice palace, I will fall away from the group. After fighting has begun, as I know it will, I will wait for the right moment to steal away and find Jane. When I have found her, I will return for you and the others."

Loki said nothing, only nodding. The continued to walk in silence for the next twenty minutes. Natasha, mouth set in a hard line, quietly observed their surroundings, but said nothing. Clint remained close to her, doing much of the same thing. Steve walked, a guarded expression on his face and shield held close.

Once the palace was in sight, a malicious grin began to tug at the corners of Loki's mouth. Several Jotun guards stood around the perimeter, ever vigilant. Loki looked to Thor and nodded. Thor stepped back into the shadows, a safe distance away from any fighting and any wandering eyes. Loki stepped forward to a point where the Jotun sentinels caught sight of him. The others stood back, quietly watching in confusion as Loki walked forward alone.

The Frost Giants snarled, and one of them nodded. A group of guards rushed as Loki; he did nothing, just stood in place, but as soon as the Frost Giants were within range, he summoned the staff he'd taken from the weapons vault and struck them down. Bright bolts of light flew from the tip of the spear, extinguishing the enemies where they stood. Loki's gaze met with the apparent leader of the guard, a silent challenge in his eyes. He squared his shoulders and tightened his grip on the staff, never breaking eye contact with the Frost Giant.

The Jotun guard who had nodded before now bellowed in rage, and suddenly the remaining guards rushed at their intruder. Loki's devilish smile grew, and he braced himself. Soon, he was completely surrounded by Frost Giants. Suddenly, Sif let out a war cry and jumped into the fray, the Warriors Three following closely. Natasha pulled her pistols from their holsters and followed suit, shooting at the Frost Giants that came too close to the others. Clint scrambled up onto an icy rock, gaining a better vantage point as he released several fatal and well-placed arrows into the enemy ranks.

Before too long, a sort of alarm had sounded and more Frost Giants approached the scene. Tony was attacking from the air, sending relentless concussive blasts from his palms. Steve was in the center of it, pistol firing and shield thrown. It returned to him after he had thrown it, but not before taking out several Giants. Tony stayed close to Steve; despite the pistol and shield, he was still vulnerable. He eventually landed behind Steve, defending his weak side. While Barton covered Romanov, Tony fought off any oncoming Jotuns that he knew Rogers would be unable to handle alone.

Banner had changed and was the most visible adversary of the Frost Giants; more Jotun sentries had attacked him than anyone else, but he was an even match for their growing numbers. He brought his fist down like a club and wiped out half of the oncoming enemies as they approached. With a roar, he continued to take down Frost Giant sentries.

Loki stood back to back with Sif, each of them cutting down every unfortunate Frost Giant that crossed their paths. When the number became too great, Loki created projections of himself and Sif, sending a wave of bewilderment as the Jotuns began to attack the projections. When they were caught unawares, one of the Warriors Three struck them from behind, slaying them immediately.

The battle had grown considerably, and Thor had seen his opportunity to steal away. His eyes met briefly with his brother's, and he nodded before heading toward the ice palace. He moved quickly and quietly, acutely aware of every noise made around him.

Upon reaching the palace, Thor analyzed possible entrances and escapes. Although a great number of Jotun warriors had gone to battle against his companions, there was still a fearsome number of Frost Giants guarding the main gate.

In the distance, Loki had seen where his brother had stopped, and followed his gaze. Thor had reached the palace entrance, but Frost Giants still stood in front of it. Raising a hand, Loki sent a projection of himself to where the guards stood.

The image that the guards saw was a frightened and surprised 'Loki'. One of the guards sneered as the projection backed up in fear. The Jotun waved his hand and the group of guards followed as the projection began to run away.

Thor looked back at the battle; Loki had just bought him enough time to sneak through the front gates. He grinned at his brother, and Loki only nodded before focusing on the battle at hand.

Thor cautiously snuck into the palace, hiding in the shadows as soon as anyone came into sight. He listened carefully as each passerby came and left, allowing him to decipher when it was safe to go.

_There is a staircase to your left. Go up three flights of stairs and turn to your right. There will be a large room with double doors that is guarded carefully; in there is where you will find Jane Foster._

Thor smiled to himself; although his mother and father had decided to remain in Asgard along with Heimdall, Odin still reached out to his sons, offering assistance in the only way he could from such a distance.

Once the coast was clear, Thor stepped out of the shadows and bounded up the stairway.

oOoOo

A Frost Giant guard burst through the doors to Schmidt's temporary office.

"My lord, they are here."

Schmidt's eyes widened, but he soon recovered and wore a neutral expression.

"Is he among them?" he asked calmly. The guard gave him a confused gaze.

"_Loki_, you idiot! Is _Loki_ among them?" Schmidt snarled. The guard nodded, and Schmidt rolled his eyes.

"I am surrounded by _idiots_," he mumbled to himself as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked up at the guard again as he awaited a set of orders.

"Don't just stand there! _Bring her to me!_" he shouted in frustration. The guarded nodded once again and left, shutting the door behind him. Schmidt circled around to the back of the table he'd been using for a desk and opened the top right drawer, pulling out his pistol. He was about to stow it in its holster when a loud crash resounded through the palace. Schmidt jumped and ran to the door.

He swung it open and stepped into the hallway. A path of destruction led down the corridor toward Jane Foster's room. He scowled and ran toward her room. A few Frost Giants had made it up the stairs, looking wildly for the culprit.

"Follow me, you idiots!" he spat as he ran down the hallway.

The doorway to her room was ajar, bodies of Jotun guards strewn across the floor in front of it. Schmidt swung the door open and rushed in just as Thor was prepared to depart with Jane. Schmidt raised his pistol angrily, but before he could fire he was violently thrown backward through the open doorway as Thor flew through the ceiling.

Schmidt roared, enraged. He picked himself up. It was not over yet.

oOoOo

The battle dragged on, and they all were running out of stamina.

_Hurry, Thor_,_ before it is too late_, he thought to himself. There had been a few times where some of his companions had encountered death, but conquered it in the very last second.

Loki was caught unaware and he was knocked to the ground; the staff he'd been using had landed nearly twenty meters away. He was helpless as the enemy stood over him. The Jotun soldier's smug smile was laced with malice as he raised his arm, ice dagger in hand. Loki swallowed and closed his eyes, waiting for the blow. The Jotun sentry brought his arm down swiftly, but instead of making contact with his flesh, it met with a screeching metal. Tony stepped in front of the ice dagger and as soon as the shock could register on the Frost Giant's face, Tony raised a palm and sent a concussive blast straight through his chest. Loki breathed a sigh of relief. Tony pulled him onto his feet and helped him fight off the next round of Jotun soldiers.

What Loki saw next both startled him and relieved him.

Thor flew out of the palace, Jane in his arms. He landed near the battle, and brought his hammer down to the ground, causing it to tremble beneath his feet. The Frost Giants paused to look at him, giving the others enough time to retreat; they had what they came for, and needed to get away from Jotunheim as quickly as possible.

"Step back!" Thor shouted, and his companions scrambled to get out of the way. Jane buried her face in Thor's shoulder. Thor raised Mjolnir above his head and called forth a burst of lightning, sending it through the ranks of Frost Giants. They were hurled backward in the air forcefully, creating a large gap for an escape route before any more Frost Giants returned to the scene.

Thor released Jane from his arms, and she stood shakily. She searched for Loki among the fallen; she hadn't yet seen where he and the others had gone, and a sudden heaviness settled on her heart. He could be anywhere among the dead on the ground, and she couldn't breathe. She heard Thor's footfalls behind her as he came to stand behind her.

"Jane?" she heard from her left. Her gaze followed the voice, and landed on him. _Loki_. She tried to say his name aloud, but she couldn't find her voice. He stepped from behind the ice he had used as a shield and she ran to him. She leapt into his arms, and he held her tightly. His hands shook in disbelief as he held her in his embrace.

She was alive.

"Not so fast, Jane Foster!"

Dread filled her stomach as she turned around slowly. Schmidt stood twenty yards away, two pistols in hand. He glared menacingly at the two, eyes blazing.

"Give me the Cube, son of Laufey," he growled. Loki moved Jane out of the way; Thor had taken her aside with the others.

"If you want it," Loki began with a mischievous twinkle in his eye and a snarl on his lips, "come and get it."

Schmidt ordered two of the three Frost Giants that had come with him to retrieve the Cube.

Jane panicked. He was unarmed; he didn't even have anything to defend himself with.

"Someone, please, help him!" she cried out, tears threatening to fall as she glanced back at the others. Natasha and Clint nursed their wounds and helped bandage a few others with what they could. They gazed at her helplessly; none of them were in any shape to fight anymore. Steve struggled to stand; trying to recover from a wound dealt to him only minutes before, he used the back of the icy stone to prop himself up. Thor gave her a kind look, and put a hand to her cheek.

"Jane, this is something Loki must do for himself. Do not doubt him. Besides," he said with a half-smile, "you will see that Loki is not completely defenseless. Watch."

Loki employed deadly magic, killing them instantly. Jane didn't know whether to smile or cry; her only comfort was that there was a chance Loki would be all right and successful.

Schmidt, trying to hide his outrage, sent the last Frost Giant. This proved to be more of a challenge than the last two, due to the size of the Jotun sentry. The both of them sparred, dealing each other blows that sometimes made contact. At one point, Loki received a blow to the gut and doubled over, but was able to stand and return the punch.

"Enough of this!" Schmidt roared. In the time Loki and the Jotun guard had been fighting, Schmidt picked up the staff Loki had brought with him from Asgard. Wielding it, he approached the two and killed off the Frost Giant. The blast from the staff as it had hit the Jotun sent Loki flying a few feet away, landing roughly on his back. Loki gazed upon Schmidt with a newfound fear as he gazed upon his suddenly more dangerous enemy. Jane made a move to run to him, witnessing the fear in his eyes, but Thor grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

"Thor, let go of me!" she cried out. She struggled against him, panicking as she watched Schmidt stop about two meters away from Loki. He began to raise the staff, and everything in that moment had slowed down. Jane's eyes widened.

"Loki!" she cried out.

"I will pry that tesseract from your cold, _dead_ hands, Loki Laufeyson. I _will_ have the Cube," he snarled angrily.

"Last chance."

"Never," Loki spat.

Schmidt raised the staff, and Loki raised his arm, the only defense his strength would allow. He looked over at Jane one last time, a brief and apologetic smile on his lips.

_I am sorry, my love. I have failed you._

Loki returned his gaze upon Schmidt, and swallowed. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he waited for the death he knew would come.

"No!" Jane screamed.

Bright light.

A loud crack.

A thunderous bang.

Loki did not feel death, as he knew he should have. Instead, he felt a weight upon his body, both familiar and foreign. He opened his eyes in time to see Schmidt fall to his knees, a bullet wound in his head. Loki looked over in shock as Steve stood, pistol in hand pointed in Schmidt's direction. He searched the faces of his companions, but none of their eyes met his. Instead, their gazes fell to Loki's lap.

He followed their eyes, and froze. He could no longer breathe.

Time had almost stopped.

Jane lay in his lap, unmoving.


	19. Chapter 19

Everything hit him full force. His breathing became ragged and his heart beat faster than he knew it could. He had never felt fear like this before in his entire life.

The fear controlled every one of his senses; he was blinded by it. The blood rushed in his ears, his skin felt tight, it tasted thick on his tongue.

"No…no, please, no," Loki whimpered as he wrapped his arm around Jane's curled up body in his lap. He carefully lifted Jane, supporting her body with his leg and arm. He gingerly felt around her back; the fabric of her shirt had disintegrated to reveal a burn-like wound. He continued to gauge the severity of the wound.

"Jane? Please, please wake up, my love. Stay with me," Loki begged shakily. He tenderly stroked strands of hair out of her ashen face as he searched her features for any sign that she was still alive. He choked back a sob.

"Oh Jane…" he whispered. He pulled her limp form close to his chest and hugged her tightly, closing his eyes. He kissed her cheek and fought the urge to cry out. Instead, he began to hum _Clair de Lune_; the sweet notes and soft tune always made him think of her.

She gasped quietly and sputtered, a coughing fit shaking her entire body. Loki's eyes grew wide, and he pulled her back. His mind spun, and he smiled in relief, not sure whether to kiss her or cry.

"She's alive!" Banner sighed in relief. Loki lifted Jane into his arms as he stood.

"She needs healers, desperately. I do not know the extent of her wounds; it is a miracle she is still alive. We must go, before it's too late," Loki urged. His companions nodded, and they quickly left the battle scene for the Bifrost site.

Loki summoned the second arc reactor, trying hard to focus on returning to Asgard.

"Jane, just hold on a little while longer. Just a little while."

oOoOo

Odin and Frigga awaited them on the Bridge, each on either side of Heimdall. They arrived one by one, and Frigga welcomed each of them with open arms.

"You've returned! Thank goodness!" she sighed as she viewed the battered Avengers. She furrowed her brow as she looked for her sons. As she was about to ask after them, Thor appeared through the BiFrost. Frigga approached him and hugged him tightly before giving him a once-over. She found sadness in his deep cerulean eyes.

"Where is your brother? Has something—"

Before she could finish, Loki appeared, Jane in his arms. He looked haggard and spent.

"Oh no…" Frigga remarked, covering her mouth with her hands.

"I—I have to get her to the healers. She's still alive," he mumbled thickly. Frigga nodded. She put her hand on his arm and Loki summoned the second arc reactor and transported the three of them to the healing rooms.

oOoOo

The healers were caught by surprise, and were shocked to see Loki.

"Please, help her. You must do something," he begged, gently placing her on her side on one of the beds. The healers looked to Frigga, and she nodded.

"This girl is important to my son, so I will see it done. Do everything that you can. Do not fail me," Frigga said. Her voice was not unkind, but it commanded the attention of the healers in the room.

An older woman with silver hair and a warm face nodded in reverence as she turned to look at Jane on the bed. She bent over her, stroking the hair out of her face. She spared a glance at Loki.

"What happened to this girl? What is her name?"

"Jane Foster of Midgard," Frigga responded, looking over at her son.

Loki nodded. "We were in Jotunheim, and Johann Schmidt had taken up the staff I took form the weapons vault. He somehow was able to manipulate the magic a—and he was planning to use it to kill me. I—she ran in front of the blast; she saved me," he choked. Frigga placed her hand gently on his forearm. The older Aesir nodded and waved at Loki, beckoning him to the bedside.

"Turn her on her stomach, please." He quickly responded and slightly lifted Jane off of the bed, turning her gingerly. "Gently, gently," The healer said kindly. Loki stepped back so as to stay out of the way. The healer stood and moved over to a set of shelves and began to look for something. She found a pair of scissors and moved quickly back to Jane's bedside. She cut away at what was left of Jane's flannel shirt, exposing her back. Loki gasped; the wound resembled a sunburst, the worst part of it on her upper back, just between her shoulder blades. It branched out toward her lower back and as the older woman brushed away Jane's hair, he could see that it spread up to the hairline at the back of her neck.

The healer stood up, and Loki took her place. She spoke quickly to one of the younger healers and the latter ran off to find what the elder healer had asked for.

"Oh Jane…" Loki whispered as he reached out for her. The elder healer put her hands on his shoulders and squeezed gently.

"We need to work now; we are going to do the best that we can," she said gently. He stood up slowly, not taking his eyes off of Jane.

"You won't leave her, will you?" Loki asked in a rough yet somewhat child-like voice.

"I will not, my Prince," the elder healer replied, bowing her head.

Frigga approached Loki and took him by the arm, leading him out of the healing ward. He was reluctant to leave, but he allowed himself to be led away from Jane.

_I'm sorry, love._

oOoOo

Thor watched as Loki disappeared with a dying Jane in his arms and Frigga at his side.

_How could I have let this happen?_

His shoulders fell, and a pit began to form in the center of his chest. The others looked around them. Thor felt their eyes settle on him, and he could not bear the scrutiny. Everyone knew that he had not guarded Jane carefully enough, and he was at fault for her current condition. He stalked away from the group, torn red cape billowing out from behind him. Sif quickly followed him, running to catch up with his long strides.

"Thor, where are you going?" she asked hastily.

"I need to be away from this. From everyone else," he said, his usually strong, booming voice filled with sorrow.

"What? Thor, what are you speaking of?" he did not answer, and Sif took hold of his arm. He jerked his arm away, and Sif ran in front of him, her short sword drawn and pointed at his breastplate. He paused and looked at her, jaw set.

"Sif, it is not wise to interfere. I do not wish—"

"Thor, do not deny me an answer or speak in riddles. What makes you so angry? We have Jane Foster back; she's in the hands of the healers."

"I will not argue about this, Sif."

"We are not arguing, Thor! I'm trying to understand what is bothering you."

"Why do you care, Sif?" he asked, confused.

"Don't pretend as if you don't know. Do not toy with me, Thor Odinson," she snapped. Thor met her gaze in bewilderment.

"I don't understand."

"If you did, we would not be having such a conversation," she said quietly.

"Explain yourself, Sif," he demanded.

"I will not stand before you and watch as my words fall upon deaf ears."

"Sif, what is causing you to say such things? You are not yourself."

"You would never know my true self, Thor. Only that which I chose to show in front of you," she replied coldly. Thor furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, and Sif sighed in exasperation; she was very close to tears, but she refused to be weak. Not in front of him. She angrily swiped at her eyes and sheathed her short sword.

"Thor, do you know the reason I fought so hard to battle beside you as a member of the Warriors Three?" Sif asked quietly.

"Because you wanted to prove yourself worthy to Asgard, to prove that a woman can be just as effective a warrior as any man."

"Yes, but I wanted to prove myself worthy to someone else. To you."

"What?"

Ignoring his confusion, she continued on.

"I fought the hardest so that I could be near you. There was a time when I thought I had your affection, but that quickly faded once you began to court other Aesir women. I fought hard to be the only one you saw, but being around you within court circles was not enough so I instead sought out other means of gaining your attention. I then began to train with some of the most well known combat trainers available. I challenged some of the most worthy opponents thrown at me and it was then that you had finally noticed me. But only as a companion and a good warrior. I earned my respect, but not your affection.

"I had thought that you would finally see me; not as a warrior but as a companion for life. I began to feel as if you had noticed me, _finally_ noticed me, but I had not done enough. I have saved your life countless times, fought at your side, defended you, and even advised you. But it was still never enough.

"When the Allfather banished you, I was crushed. I could not believe that you had been cast out as simply as that, and an empty void had taken up the space that I held in my heart for you. Every day that you were gone, I consulted with Heimdall, constantly searching for you and hoping that you would be okay and return soon. I even begged Loki, when he had taken up the throne, to lift your banishment, but he refused. I knew that I had to get you back. With the help of Heimdall, myself along with Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg were able to retrieve you. Heimdall sent us to Midgard, understanding the consequences of his actions.

"It was not too difficult to find you; after all, the only civilization in sight was that small village in the desert. I was so relieved that we had found you and that we could bring you home, but then Loki sent the Destroyer. I was prepared to die for you, but you held me back, you told me to live and tell the tale another day. And I did, only because you said so; only because it was _you_ who had told me different. In that moment, I felt as if I truly meant something to you.

"When the Destroyer broke your neck, effectively killing you, I had never felt such despair in my life. There we were, close to bringing you home, and you had died. Just like that. I wanted to hold you in my arms, for fear I would not see you or hear your voice again, but Jane Foster was able to move whereas I had been frozen.

"I saw the love in her eyes, but I dismissed it. I denied it because she could not have loved you, not like I have. She was merely infatuated, as mortal women usually were when you made appearances on Midgard. I did not think much of it, but when Mjolnir returned to you, restoring your life and power to you, I could see that she was not just another mortal woman to you. I knew that my fears had been realized when we arrived at the site of the Bifrost and you kissed her, making the promise to return to her. My heart split in two, and it was difficult to breathe. It still is," she finished, her voice cracking on the last three words. She sniffed and avoided his gaze.

"Sif, why did you not tell me this before?" Thor asked quietly.

"Because I refused to lose your friendship. I did not wish to risk what I had worked so hard to earn because of petty feelings I knew you would not return," Sif replied bitterly.

The both of them stood before each other, not uttering a word. Thor ran through everything in his mind: when he had first met her, the time she asked to be one of the Warriors Three. He thought back to all of the battles they had fought side by side, and he indeed did recall the innumerous times Sif had been there with the swipe of a blade when he was in the sight of death. Even when he had been injured, Sif was one of few that visited him while in the healer's ward. He began to fully understand the depth of her actions.

Thor cursed himself under his breath. _How could I not have seen this before now?_

"I will leave you now," Sif said, bowing her head. She hurried off, but not before Thor could grab her arm.

"Thor, let me go," she said, her voice faltering.

"Not until you forgive me."

"Forgive you for what?"

"For being so blind and indifferent to you, Sif. I realize how much you mean to me, and how utterly right you are. I—"

"Thor, you don't need to ask forgiveness—"

"Sif, let me finish. I could not have asked for a better friend, and I think there is not another that could be better suited for me. I hope that you will grant me a second chance, and that you will be patient with me; I'm going to try to be better to you, Sif. You deserve it," he finished, bowing his head. Sif smiled to herself.

"How is it that you know just what to say?" she asked softly.

"What do y—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Sif's lips were covering his. Her arms had circled around his neck and she stood on her toes to reach him. He first stood rigidly, unsure of what to do, but a new rush of warmth washed over him, and he gradually eased into the embrace. As much as he had fallen in love with Jane so long ago, he could not ignore how _right_ this felt. He knew that Sif was completely right for him, and he could not let her slip out of his fingers. He deepened the embrace and pulled her close.

_How could I have been missing her all of this time?_

They broke away and stood close to each other.

"Sif, I'm so sorry. I do not deserve you," he apologized breathlessly.

"Thor, if I thought you did not deserve me, I would not be standing here with you."

oOoOo

Tony whistled and clapped. Odin chuckled, and the others shook their heads.

"Atta boy, Thor!" he said with a laugh. Sif blushed noticeably, even from that distance, and Thor fought a smile.

"Leave 'em alone, Stark," Natasha said, rolling her eyes. "Why don't you call base instead of making a fool of yourself?" she suggested. Tony sighed and turned away from them.

"JARVIS, dial Pepper."

"Just a moment, Mr. Stark…" JARVIS replied. Odin stepped forward.

"Is that _your_ invention, Anthony Stark?" he asked, gesturing to the suit of armor. The Allfather's curiosity drove him to address Tony, and took the latter by surprise.

"Uh, yeah. I designed this myself. There's only two in existence, and I own both of them. Pretty handy in a fight, I would say," he said with a grin. The Allfather nodded with a smile.

"I wish to learn how it works. Perhaps you will explain it to me later this evening, yes?"

"Oh, of course sir. It'd be a pleasure."

"Wonderful. We will discuss it later this evening. Follow me and I will see to it that each of you has comfortable living quarters until your departure."

"Are you sure, Allfather?" Steve asked politely.

"It is the least I can do to repay you all for your heroic deeds. You saved our realm, as well as any other realm the man called Schmidt was a threat to. You have done a great service to this universe, you know," Odin replied sincerely.

"Well, we tried," Tony added with a half smile.

"And you succeeded. That is more that we could have hoped or asked for."

oOoOo

After a few more tries, Tony was finally able to reach Pepper. He had tried several times while en route to the palace, but to no avail.

He had been escorted to a large room with a plush yet simplistic décor. It suited him well, and he was able to settle in rather quickly, and he resumed his attempts with reaching his assistant.

"Tony?" a familiar voice sounded through the communication system in JARVIS.

"Hey, Pep. How's it going?"

"Uh, fine Tony; I should be asking you the same thing," she replied quickly.

"I'm okay. Everything is fine. We all made it back to Asgard and are going to have to prolong our trip."

"Wait, why? Did you lose the Cube?" she asked, confused. Her voice crackled through the intercom.

"No, we have that."

"Well, what about Jane? Were you able to find her?" she asked urgently.

"Yes, Pep. We have her. We just need to stay for a little while longer, just to, you know…help clean things up," he lied.

"You sound hesitant, Tony. Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Nope. Everything's just fine. Just let Fury know we'll be back as soon as we can."

Pepper sighed. "Alright, Tony. Just be home soon, okay?"

"Okay, Pep. Talk to you soon."

"Bye, Tony."

He hung up the call and put away the suit. As he walked toward the bed, he found a set of comfortable looking linen clothes. Before changing, he explored the bedroom and decided to clean himself up.

Peeling off the bodysuit, Tony kept thinking back to the conversation with Pepper. Why had he lied? To Pepper, of all people? He stepped into the bath, his mind still reeling. He couldn't even recall the last time he had ever lied to Pepper.

_I just don't want her to worry_, he thought, finding justification for hiding the truth from her.

oOoOo

Odin stepped into his chambers tiredly, the large double doors closing behind him. His wife Frigga sat on their bed, lost in thought.

"What is it that troubles you?" Odin asked quietly, sitting down on the bed next to her.

"I worry for the girl. The blast from the staff should have killed her, but something is keeping her alive, thank goodness."

"That is not all that bothers you, though," Odin replied bluntly. Frigga shook her head.

"I worry for Loki as well. I have forgotten what it is like to see him happy. From the moment he returned, he has had a dark cloud following him, and now I know why. I saw it in his face as that wretched man dragged her in; he loves her. My heart broke for him as he tried to look at her one last time before I led him out of the healer's wing. I have never seen a single woman that means so much to him as Jane. For Loki's sake, I pray she lives. I do not know that I could bear to see him broken. He deserves to be happy, to be in love. He should at least have her, if nothing else," she explained sadly. Odin nodded and took her hand in his.

"Where is he now?"

"I do not know. As soon as the healing wing was closed to us, he broke away and left very quickly. He might be in his room, but I cannot say for sure."

"I see," he sighed. "We will visit the woman tonight and see how she fares. Perhaps we will see our son there."

Frigga leaned her head on his shoulder and remained there.

"He is still lost though now he is home. Bring him back."

oOoOo

Odin stepped into the healing ward just after dinner with his wife; a few of the younger nurses had left for the evening, but the senior healer still remained at Jane's bedside. She stood when Odin entered and bowed her head in reverence.

"To what do I owe this visit, Allfather? My queen?" her warm voice asked. Frigga stepped closer to where Jane lay and stood still, hands reaching out for her. Odin stood still, closer to the nurse.

"We come to see the condition of the mortal woman, Jane Foster. How is she faring?" he asked. The healer lifted her head and met the Allfather's eye.

"It is difficult to say. Her heartbeat was faint and her breathing shallow when she was first brought to us. There has been some improvement, but not very much."

"Has she awoken at all?" Frigga asked.

"No, my queen. She has not stirred at all. She sweats but her skin is cold as ice. I cannot do much else but wait. She was struck on her back." Frigga sat down on the bed next to her, quietly observing Jane.

Odin's gaze flickered, and fell upon the sleeping mortal woman on the bed. She had been moved onto her stomach, and the sheets had been pulled up to her neck. Her chestnut hair spilled over onto the pillow as Frigga moved to stroke it away from her beautiful face. The elderly healer pulled back the sheet to reveal the full extent of the wound. Odin's mouth fell open slightly.

The wound had begun to pucker, and pulled tightly at her skin as if trying to fix itself, trying to close the distance between the points of the injury. It was an angry red, and spread all across her back.

Odin could tell that she was having difficulty breathing. The pain, even in her slumber, affected every inch of her body. Sometimes spasms would rack her body and her muscles tensed, but she would not stir otherwise. Her breathing was so shallow that it almost appeared as if she was not breathing at all. Frigga turned to face the Allfather.

"Is there any way that you can see what keeps her from death? Or from life?" she asked in a whisper. Odin thought for a moment, and nodded. He would have to search her mind.

Odin placed his fingertips on her temple and closed his eyes. He searched her memories and was suddenly struck with images of his son.

_Seeing him for the first time in the desert._

_Looking after his wounds._

_Rehabilitating him._

_Stargazing on the rooftops._

He could feel the tentative love that was visible in the eyes of his son in her memories. Although Jane, at the time, couldn't see it, she felt the exact same way about him. He continued on to find the memory of Loki's nightmare. Odin saw the fear in Loki's eyes as he realized he almost killed the woman he loved. She was so calm, so understanding.

Her memories began to blur, and separate thoughts surfaced. Thoughts and memories that were no longer linear or did not make sense began to cloud her mind, surrounding the memories of the past.

Odin pulled his fingers away from her temple before continuing any further. He inhaled deeply, and understood.

"What is it?" Frigga asked quietly.

"She stays alive because of him."

It was the memory of what was and the hope for what may be that was keeping her alive. Frigga leaned down and brought her face closer to Jane's, and whispered in her ear.

"There is hope for you yet, Jane Foster."

oOoOo

Loki awoke in a cold sweat, panting heavily. He felt confused, hurt, and afraid.

_Jane. She's gone._

He threw back the blankets and jumped out of bed. His feet had hardly hit the floor before he began running. He cursed himself for not being able to run fast enough as he turned down the dimly lit corridors of the palace. His bare feet slapped down hard on the immaculate floors as he finally crossed into the healing ward.

Loki did not stop running until he reached the doors. He reached for the handle, but paused, fearful of what he might find. Gathering up enough courage, he pushed on the door and it swung open, the light of the hallway spilling into the room. The elder healer sat at Jane's bedside, not having moved from where he saw her earlier that day. She met his wild gaze and stood up, a gentle smile on her worn features. He only stood in the doorway, unsure of whether or not he should enter any further. The healer walked toward him and put a hand on his forearm, guiding him inside the ward.

"You may come in, Prince. She has not stirred."

Loki was hesitant at first, but he slowly walked with the healer over toward where Jane lay. They reached the bed, and the older woman sat down once again. Loki could only stare at the sleeping form on the bed. She lay unmoving, and he nervously reached out for her. His fingertips grazed the back of her hand before he grasped it in his own.

"You do not look as if you have slept, my Prince. Am I correct?" the healer asked quietly. Loki shook his head.

"You should rest. You will need it," she coaxed. "You need not leave if you would prefer to stay." Loki glanced at her hopefully, his eyes flicking between the bed and the healer; she nodded.

"There is enough space for you to lie here with her, Prince. You need not worry about disturbing her; she will not wake," the healer explained.

Slowly, Loki sat on the edge of the bed and eased himself down next to Jane. He held her hand in his, bringing it to his lips. He stroked away her hair from her face and kissed her forehead.

"Sweet dreams," he whispered, tears in his eyes.

oOoOo

The next few days passed by, slowly turning into the passing of a week. Jane did not wake, but she was responding well to the healers' attentions. Loki checked on her every day and slept very little. Most did not see him at all, day or night. Thor became worried, and so did Frigga. Loki's brother sought him out constantly, but was always unsuccessful. Odin did not bother him, despite the fact that he knew if he called upon Loki, he would answer. Odin knew the grief that shrouded his youngest son, and he respected the time that he knew he would need.

Odin stood in the throne room, engaged in a discussion with some of the advisors on the diplomacy council, when Frigga entered. The conversation fell silent as she approached the group. Odin dismissed the council members; they bowed to both Odin and his queen before leaving the throne room.

"To what do I owe this visit, dear wife?" Odin asked with the hint of a smile.

"I am concerned for Loki. He doesn't eat, sleep, or talk with anyone. I have not heard from him at all since they arrived."

"You must allow him the space he needs, Frigga. This is how he is dealing with Jane's condition. He has always dealt with tragedy like this; he was always a solitary child," he reasoned.

"But for a week?"

"We do not know for sure when the girl will wake. She should not even be alive, but she is. He does not want to be away from her when she wakes; he wants to be the first thing she sees when she does. You cannot think him unreasonable for wanting that."

Frigga sighed. "I know but he _refuses_ to take care of himself." Odin walked down the steps leading to the throne and met his wife face to face.

"My dear wife, I would do the same if it were you," he said gently. Lines of worry were etched on Frigga's gentle face. She took Odin's rough hands in hers and squeezed them tightly.

"Please Odin…you must do something for the girl. Help her to return to our son. I don't know how much longer I can stand. Do this not only for Loki, but for me."

Odin let out a heavy sigh. "I will only do something if Loki asks it of me. Otherwise, I will not intervene. I have faith that she will awaken on her own. She has a strong heart and a sound mind. Nothing will keep her away from him. Not even in the clutches of death. She's proven that." Frigga was silent as he continued. "You must have faith in the strength of our son. If he's been able to survive on Midgard without anyone to call family or friend, without a home, I know he will weather this. Jane Foster will not leave him."

"How do you know?"

"Because she promised him. She promised him she would never leave."

oOoOo

"Brother!"

Loki turned slowly to face Thor. His elder brother wore concern on his face, plain to see. Sif followed closely behind him, clearly just as concerned as Thor.

The both of them came to a halt in front of Loki; neither said anything as they took in his disheveled appearance: his hair was a mess, and there were dark circles under his eyes. He looked as if he hadn't slept since they returned; knowing his brother, Thor knew he had not. Sif stepped forward, shaking the worry out of her face and replacing it with a soft smile.

"I hope we didn't alarm you; we did not intend to. The Allfather requests that you come to dinner this evening; you look like you could use a good meal, too," Sif observed. Loki nodded slightly, wringing his hands. Sif placed her hand upon his, and forced him to look at her.

"If you won't come to dinner for yourself, at least come for your mother's sake. She worries for you, Loki," she reasoned. Loki thought for a moment, and nodded again. With a small incantation, he cleaned up his appearance, making himself more presentable. Thor then stepped forward and put a strong hand on his shoulder, leading them toward the banquet hall.

oOoOo

Once they all reached the dining hall, a bright grin formed on the faces of his friends. Tony stood up from his chair and walked over to meet him.

"Hey, Loki! We've missed you, bud," he said lightly, clapping him on the back. Loki gave him a forced smile, and proceeded to the table. There was an open chair waiting for him between Frigga and Volstagg.

A large feast had been prepared, and it was difficult for Loki to deny that he was hungry. He sat down in a designated seat, and Sif and Thor took their places across from him. Once he was seated, Frigga kissed his shoulder and put a hand on his arm. The others had begun to eat, and soon were laughing and telling stories.

"Eat something, my son. You'll feel a little better," his mother suggested.

Loki obliged, and began eating the food set out in front of him. It quickly filled him up, and he found himself finished before anyone else. After a little while, he fell easily into conversation with his companions, and soon was smiling more than he had in over a week. They joked around, and Volstagg began to tell a battle story. Everyone was soon enraptured, and roared with laughter whenever Fandral interjected with sarcastic and playful remarks about his friend's misadventures.

The evening continued on, and Loki was able to feel happy, if only for a short amount of time. Though Jane still rested at the back of his mind, he was momentarily put at ease; being around friends and family reminded him of better times.

Loki leaned back in his chair, arms crossed in front of his chest as he listened to the ridiculous banter between Volstagg and Tony as they tried to compare their battle experiences. Loki laughed and shook his head.

His laugh faded away as he sensed a tug from the inside his ribcage, near his heart. He rubbed the spot where the strange sensation had taken over, but the more he concerned himself with it, the more it bothered him. Frigga noticed the absence of his laughter and turned to face him; lines of worry began to crease her gentle features.

"Is everything alright?"

He began to nod, but stopped.

"I'm not sure. Something feels...off."

"What do you—"

Frigga was interrupted by a guard that rushed in, out of breath from running through the palace. The dinner party ceased its laughter, and the guard stood up straight and cleared his throat.

"Prince Loki, son of Odin, you have been requested in the healing ward as soon as possible."

Loki's heart dropped. He nearly jumped out of his chair and ran away from the dining hall. He heard the sound of chairs screeching on the floor and several sets of footsteps following where he had gone. Loki ran through the palace corridors as fast as his feet would take him; the others kept up with him, Thor just behind him.

As soon as he rounded the corner to the healing ward, he noticed bright lights from within the room pouring out into the hallway, the door left ajar. He did not hesitate to step through them, his run slowing to a purposeful stride. His eyes immediately fell upon the sleeping figure on the bed. Or seemingly asleep. The head healer approached him quickly, stopping him in his tracks. He searched her motherly face, his panicked eyes finally meeting hers.

"What has happened?"

oOoOo

The others followed him inside, each coming to a stop near the entrance to the door and watching with bated breath as the elderly Aesir talked with Loki. They spoke rapidly in hushed tones, and soon after Loki moved away from her and kneeled at Jane's bedside. The expression on Loki's face was unreadable from where everyone had stood. He reached hesitantly for Jane's hand, and slightly tilted his head to the side, tears filling his eyes. After what felt like an hour, Loki laid his head on the mattress, hiding his face from the onlookers. The elder nurse had been watching the both of them as well, and moved toward the group standing at the door.

"Let him have a moment alone with her. Come on, outside, the lot of you," she whispered, not unkindly, motioning for them to leave. At first, no one moved, but Steve eventually turned around to help the healer and led some of the others out of the ward.

oOoOo

Loki knelt beside Jane. His emerald eyes explored her beautiful face, and he reached out for her hand. He covered it with his, and lightly stroked the back of hers with his thumb.

"Jane?" he whispered, voice slightly cracking. No response. "Jane?"

A stir. His breath caught in his throat.

A set of beautiful brown eyes met his and didn't look away.

Tears began to well in his eyes, and he rested his head on the mattress in relief. He soon heard the others leave, the door shutting behind them; leaving only himself and Jane.

Jane raised a weak hand and placed it on Loki's head. He looked up at her, bringing her hand to his lips, and kissed her palm before holding it to his cheek.

"Oh, Jane…I thought you were gone," Loki said thickly through his tears.

"No one gets rid of me that easily. Ask the science community," she said with a smile. Loki laughed and squeezed her hand.

"But you did forget one thing, most importantly."

"What's that, my love?" he asked with a sniff.

"Do you remember the promise I made you…the night before you left for Asgard?"

Loki nodded.

"I said that I'd stay with you," she said, her breathing becoming labored. Concern washed over him, and he stroked her cheek.

"Shh, Jane, you need—"

"Wait a sec. Just…lemme finish," she replied. Loki smiled to himself, despite the situation. _Still as stubborn as always_. "I didn't just mean that night. I meant for much, much longer than that. I meant for the rest of my life," she said, closing her eyes. Loki continued to stroke her cheek soothingly, willing her to sleep.

"Loki?" Jane asked after a few moments.

"Yes, Jane?"

"Will you stay until I'm asleep?"

"Of course, my love. I'll never leave you."


	20. Chapter 20

The door shut quietly. Steve and the others stood just outside the healing ward doors, just as confused as concerned as they had been when the guard first sent for Loki.

They all stepped away from the doors but did not leave; in truth, they were unsure of where to go.

Steve was the first to move; he started down the hallway, his head down. Tony furrowed his brow and walked after him.

"Where are you going, Cap?"

"Back to my room, Stark," Steve replied in a sharp voice. His unusual tone caught the others off guard, and they all stared after the two.

Tony caught his arm. "Don't you want to see if Jane's alive?" Steve whipped around to face him, jaw set and eyes blazing.

"Yes. Of course I do," he replied coldly.

"Well then what's the deal? Where are you going?"

"I don't want to be around in case Jane _isn't_ alive. I don't know that I can handle that. " Tony's eyebrows drew together.

"Excuse me, but isn't that a little soon to say? Loki just got called back—"

"Stark, we don't _know_ what he was called for!" He shook his head. "This is all my fault," Steve muttered soberly under his breath.

Thor chimed in. "What are you saying, Rogers?"

"It's _my_ fault that Jane got hurt; I didn't shoot quick enough to disable Schmidt. If I hadn't thought about it, then Jane wouldn't _be_ in this position!"

Thor shook his head and put a hand on Steve's shoulders. "Steven, none of this is anyone's fault. Whether or not Jane is alive is not the result of anyone's action or inaction. Jane is a grown woman; she _made_ the decision for herself. We cannot hold ourselves responsible for what happened. Don't let yourself think such thoughts."

"Thor's right, Steve. Don't beat yourself up about it," Natasha said gently. Steve only sighed; nothing they could say would make him feel any better about the situation.

One of Odin's sentries approached the group and stood in front of them.

"The Allfather has requested your presence in the throne room as soon as possible." The guard bowed and left as swiftly as he came. Thor looked to Sif and the others; they were all clearly as confused and wary as he was.

Sif was the first to speak. "Let's not keep him waiting."

oOoOo

The Allfather sat patiently on the throne, staff in hand, as he waited for his son and guests to make an appearance. It was not too long before he heard the sound of footfalls on the floor, and soon everyone bowed before him. Thor was the first to stand.

"Father, you wished to see us?"

"Yes, my son. I have some news for all of you."

"News of what, Allfather?" Sif asked.

"Of Jane," he replied calmly. The atmosphere in the room visibly tensed; they all stood up straighter and held their breath, Steve most noticeably. The Allfather paused before speaking again.

"Jane Foster is alive."

Everyone let out the breath that they had been holding. Steve smiled in relief, and Banner clapped him on the back.

"She is responding to the healer's efforts," Odin continued. "She has regained consciousness and is on the road to recovery."

"How long will she be here, sir?" Natasha asked.

"That would depend on Lady Foster, Miss Romanov."

Natasha narrowed her eyes in confusion. "I don't understand."

"Miss Foster may or may not wish to return to Midgard—Earth, just yet. It must be her decision." His answer was cryptic, as usual, but Thor nodded in understanding.

"She must decide whether or not to return without Loki or remain here. If he will have her," Thor began to explain. Tony rolled his eyes.

"Please. Have you _seen_ the way he looks at her? Yeah, I don't see that being a problem," Stark quipped.

"But it is law here; Jane may not remain in Asgard for longer than a Midgardian fortnight. The only way she could remain would be through marriage. Or at least, as far as I know."

The room fell silent. Thor's gaze traveled to his father's; Odin sat in thought, expression stoic.

"Father? Is there another way?"

Odin shook his head. "No. To remain in Asgard, she must marry an Aesir. Either she marries or she must return to Midgard."

Loki stood just outside of the throne room on the open balcony. He gazed up at the evening stars and sighed. _If only there was another way_.

oOoOo

He heard someone approach from behind, and judging from the footsteps, he bowed. Odin stood next to him, hands behind his back as he looked out over the realm.

"Have you told her yet?"

Loki shook his head. "No. I would not want to press the issue with her while she still recovers. There is still time."

"Yes, but not too much." Odin paused. "She is a good match for you, Loki. Intelligent, compassionate, and she would do well here. She loves you a great deal."

He half-smiled. "I know. I want to give her a choice though. I do not want her to be trapped in this life; she deserves so much more. I do not want her to resent me, or any of this, because she was forced to make a decision that she was not ready to make."

Odin nodded. "You have grown, Loki," he said with a gentle laugh. "I would have liked to meet Lady Foster much earlier, to convey my thanks."

"For what?"

"For bringing my sons home."

Loki said nothing, but a grimace played on the corners of his mouth.

"My son, you must tell her, sooner than later. You may be surprised by her response."

oOoOo

"_I may have a plan for you yet."_

_She was running through dark corridors, unable to feel her feet or hands. Everything was incredibly warm, and it was difficult to breathe. The darkness was approaching fast, and despite her best efforts to outrun it, it soon enveloped her, rendering her completely immobile. Her eyes were open but saw nothing. _

_A gunshot._

_The sound seemed to free her invisible bindings, but kept her suspended. She whipped around, frantically searching for the source of the gunshot. A dim light shone in the distance, revealing a familiar face._

_She found she could suddenly move, albeit slowly. She approached as best she could, but was stopped before she could get any closer._

_He smiled weakly, hand resting on his abdomen. Upon taking a closer look, deep red seeping through his elegant, alabaster fingers. His face became paler than normal, and beads of sweat began to form upon his brow. _

_A sharp pain started to throb in her abdomen. She looked down, and her shirt blossomed with dark red in the same area where he was bleeding. The pain became unbearable._

"_What's happening?" she cried out. His breathing became labored, just as hers did. At the same time, the both of them reached out for each other, but were separated by an unseen barrier. _

_He opened his lips to speak, but another gunshot rang out. He jerked, and both fell to their knees. Red bloomed in another place on his upper abdomen, quicker than the last. It soaked his tunic, and he struggled to stay upright. She whimpered, but was unsure of whether it was from the pain or from seeing the fallen man in front of her._

"_I'm so sorry, love…"_

_The man crumpled and lay lifeless before her. She screamed._

"_Loki!"_

oOoOo

Loki jerked awake, startled from sleep by Jane's scream. He had fallen asleep sitting on the floor beside Jane's bed, head resting on the mattress and hand in hers. Her grip tightened on his fingers, and he winced. She thrashed wildly and began to cry. He panicked, quickly shrugging of the sluggish fog surrounding his mind, and stood up.

"Jane! Jane, love, wake up; you're only dreaming," he said, trying to shake her awake. He squeezed her hand, but she continued to cry out in her sleep. The sheets tangled around her legs, and Loki struggled to wake her. He was torn: he did not want to be too loud, but her scream had already awakened the healers on call. They stood around nervously, but Loki waved them away.

Loki sat down on the edge of the bed and faced her, inhaling quickly. He kept his tone level, just below a shout, but the tone of his voice was urgent as he shook her shoulder.

"Jane, darling, wake up."

Jane's eyes shot open and she sat up as much as she was able. Tears stained her rosy cheeks. Her amber eyes searched the room frantically and froze when they finally fell on Loki. The look in her eyes nearly broke his heart; whatever it was that she had seen had clearly shaken her to the core. One of her hands flew up to her mouth, trying to stifle the cry that rose in her throat, and the other lay limp in her lap. Loki tilted his head to meet her gaze, but Jane only wrapped her arms around him tightly, bringing him close. He did not hesitate to return the gesture, and when he held her securely, she began to sob uncontrollably into his tunic.

"Shh, everything is alright, you're okay. It was only a nightmare, just a dream, my love. Everything will be alright," he said soothingly, rubbing slow and gentle circles on her shoulders and upper arms, careful of the raw wound on her back. He remained silent as Jane cried, curled up into his chest, holding fistfuls of his tunic. His heart ached for her.

"You're okay, my love. Nothing can hurt you in a dream." Loki began to hum a soft lullaby, and after a little while, her sobs subsided.

A little while later, the door opened to reveal a disheveled Tony and sleepy Bruce. The light from the hallway bathed the entire room in a soft yellow glow. Both newcomers spoke simultaneously.

"What's going on?"

"What happened?"

Jane curled up tighter against Loki's chest, not unlike what a frightened child would do, and he kissed the top of her head.

"Jane had a nightmare," he murmured. Tony and Bruce said nothing, but only stood in the doorway. They exchanged glances before looking back at Loki. He returned their gaze and nodded, as if to say _she'll be fine_. Banner and Stark turned slowly, sparing one last glance at Jane, before exiting the ward. The door closed, and they were cloaked in darkness once again. Jane's soft cries gradually progressed into sniffling. Loki stroked her hair out of her face and wiped away her tears.

"Talking about it helps sometimes, Jane. I know it did when I had that nightmare you awoke me from," he said gently, remembering that night well. Jane did not say anything for a few moments, but inhaled shakily.

"I remember running; I was running from something, from darkness. It swallowed me, and I couldn't move. I tried to, but nothing in my body responded. Then I heard a gunshot. I turned and saw you standing there, blood running through the cracks between your fingers as you tried to stop it." She took a deep breath before continuing.

"When I saw you were bleeding, I felt the wound in the same place. I started to bleed from a wound I didn't remember receiving. I tried to reach you, to tell you it would be okay, but I was stopped by something. I don't know what it was. I was so confused, and I tried to ask you what was going on, but as you were going to tell me, another gunshot rang out, and you had been shot again. We both fell, and…" Jane tried to finish her sentence, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him what happened next.

"Oh Jane…it's over now. I'm here, and I will not leave. It was only a dream."

"But it felt so _real_! You were slipping through my fingers, and I couldn't do anything about it!" she cried. He rested his chin on the top of her head.

"But now it's gone, darling. The nightmare is over and you have nothing to fear," Loki replied soothingly. He felt Jane nod against his chest, and he hugged her tightly. "Try to get some sleep; you need it. I'll stay right here."

"Promise?

"Promise."

oOoOo

A few days had passed, and Jane's health improved much faster than anticipated. She was able to completely sit up, and eventually she was able to move around much more easily than before. The scorch mark on her back was not as raw as it had been when she first arrived to the healing ward. Loki visited her the most, but she would usually see Steve and Frigga. Frigga treated her kindly, and seemed genuinely interested in her, but Steve was not the same as she had remembered him. There was something that bothered him, and she had tried to draw it out of him but to no avail; he would always attempt to speak with her about whatever it was that troubled him, but ended up changing his mind.

After nearly a week had passed, the elderly healer encouraged Jane to get out of the healing ward and explore the palace. Jane heartily agreed, and the Aesir wrapped a fresh bandage over her back and provided her with a light dress to wear and a pair of shoes. Before leaving, one of Odin's guards approached the healing ward door, envelope in hand.

"I have a letter addressed to Lady Jane Foster. "

"Who is it from?" Jane asked, approaching the armored man.

"Prince Loki, my lady." The guard held the letter out for her and bowed when she took it. He left the room, and the elderly Aesir eyed Jane, offering a wry smile.

"Go ahead, dear. Open it."

Jane broke the wax seal on the note, and instantly recognized the same elegant script that covered all of her notes back at the S.H.I.E.L.D. lab; it brought a smile to her face.

_My Jane-_

_I'm sorry I could not be with you today. The Allfather has convened a council meeting with the surviving members of the advisory council as well as my brother and me. I have a strong feeling that this will last the entire day, so I may not be able to see you until dinner; I hope to see you then at least. I've arranged for you to move out of the healing ward and into your own room; I've already discussed this with Frigga and she agrees. After the council meeting (or dinner, whichever may come first), I will come to find you and show you your new room. _

_If possible, I would like to show you a place in the palace that I think you'll like after dinner. _

_I love you, Jane._

_Yours,_

_Loki_

Jane reread the letter a few times before folding it back up and replacing it in the envelope. The elder healer looped her arm through Jane's, a warm smile on her face.

"So my dear, I was thinking that I should show you the palace gardens. I think you'll enjoy them; very beautiful," the healer said, patting Jane's hand. Jane allowed herself to be led by the woman; in truth, she was grateful to her, for if the Aesir hadn't offered to show her around, she would be lost as soon as she stepped foot outside of the healing ward.

oOoOo

They reached the gardens, and Jane smiled to herself; today was the perfect day for being outside. The sun was shining brightly and its light warmed her to the core. The healer did not speak much other than to point out certain parts of the garden that she particularly liked. When she stopped talking for a while, Jane spoke up.

"Thank you, ma'am. For looking after me," she said sincerely. The older woman nodded and patted Jane's arm.

"You're welcome my dear, though I would not wish to take all of the credit. The Prince was at your bedside nearly every night, and helped us to heal you as best he could with magic. He had often forsaken sleep to ensure you were being well looked after." She paused. "I tried to assure him that we would take care of you, but it never was enough for him. He almost never left your side."

Jane was lost in thought. The healer squeezed her hand lightly and led her through another part of the gardens.

"He loves you, you know. If he wasn't with you, he certainly was thinking about you. I could see it in those sparkling eyes of his. You believe that, don't you my dear?" she asked. Jane nodded, tears in her eyes.

"Of course," Jane whispered in reply, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

The two continued walking through the expansive gardens, making very little conversation. Jane's thoughts kept returning to what the healer had said to her, only able to imagine what must have been going on while she was comatose. Her eyes had fallen to the soft ground, and she was so lost in thought that she hadn't realized that the healer had stopped, causing Jane to nearly run into Steve Rogers. She looked up at the last minute, and gasped.

"Oh! Steve! I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention," Jane quickly apologized. Steve gave her his trademark lopsided smile.

"It's okay, Jane. No harm done," he said kindly. The both of them stood awkwardly for a few moments, trying to think of what to say to each other.

"Listen, Jane, can I talk with you for a few minutes?" he asked, gaze flitting between Jane and her guide.

"Uh, sure. Of course," she replied with a smile. The healer bowed her head and faced the both of them.

"I will leave you two alone. Young man, see to it that Jane gets enough fresh air and that she returns to the healing ward before supper, and if she begins to have any trouble breathing or anything of the sort, you bring her back immediately," the healer instructed. Steve nodded.

"Of course, ma'am."

The healer bowed once again and left the two of them alone. Steve held out his arm, and Jane took it. They both walked slowly through the garden.

"You know, I found this place on accident. It's really pretty; reminds me of Peggy," he remarked soberly. Jane gently squeezed his arm, knowing how much he had loved her.

"Do you have a picture of her?" Jane asked softly. Steve nodded and pulled out a small locket with her portrait inside of it. Jane gasped; Peggy was stunningly beautiful.

"She's gorgeous, Steve. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. I miss her," he sighed. "She reminds me of you a little bit, actually," he continued with a small smile. Jane laughed.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. Beautiful and intelligent, as well as incredibly stubborn." Jane blushed furiously, but the comment made her smile.

"Thanks, Steve; I would have liked to meet her."

A few moments passed in silence, and Jane slowed; sometimes the burn on her back would begin to sting, but that was not usually the worst part. What Jane had learned quickly after waking from her coma was that the blast from the staff had injured her beyond just her skin: it had somehow damaged her spine and cracked a few ribs. As much as the healer said Loki helped, the pain still returned, and this time, it seemed, with a vengeance.

She winced, and worry washed over Steve's gentle features. "Jane, you should probably get back to the healing ward—" Jane held up her hand.

"No, just—give me a minute, it'll pass." She sat down on the nearest bench, and Steve sunk down next to her.

"You sure?" She nodded. Focusing on her breathing, Jane closed her eyes and willed the pain to go away. Steve waited patiently with her, covering her hand with his in comfort. Jane held it tightly as the pain passed. She sighed in relief as it left her.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," she replied in a strained voice. "What did you want to talk to me about? I mean, now that you've mentioned it, I wanted to talk with you about something too."

"Really? You go first, then."

"Well, it seemed like after I woke up, you weren't the same. I'm glad that you came to see me, but something's…_different_. Did I do something?"

"No, Jane, of course not. You didn't do anything." He sighed, trying to think about what to say next. Jane, ever patient, met his gaze with her warm brown eyes.

"Jane, I just wanted to say that I'm so sorry for what happened to you that day. It was my fault—"

"Steven Rogers, it was _not_ your fault—"

"But Jane, I could have killed him before he—"

"No, Steve. Don't do that to yourself. What happened to me was because I decided to act. I don't regret what happened because, well, because Loki's alive. But don't think, for one second, that you did anything. No one did anything but me; _I_ was the one that ran in front of the staff. If there was any type of blame, it would belong to me for even moving from where I stood."

Steve said nothing, and Jane wrapped an arm around his broad shoulders.

"Promise me you won't blame yourself anymore? Please?" Jane asked gently. Steve nodded slowly, and Jane stood up slowly. Steve jumped up to support her, gently guiding her away from the bench.

"Ready to go back?"

"Not just yet. I like it out here. It's nice to be outside after so long," Jane remarked. A smile played on her lips and she looked up to Steve.

"Hey Steve?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell me about Peggy?"

Steve grinned. "I'd love to."

oOoOo

An hour had passed, then two, slowly becoming three. Steve talked about Peggy, about his life before becoming a super soldier, his best friend Bucky, and the experiment that changed his life. Jane patiently listened to everything he had to say, only interjecting when Steve said something that confused her. He talked about his past with such detail; Jane could picture everything he said with clarity and it was nice for her to revisit those memories with him.

When the sun had begun to dip in the sky, Steve looked up.

"We should probably head inside."

"Agreed. Hopefully no one will notice I've been gone this long," Jane said with a slight smile. Steve grinned.

"If Loki finds out, I'll be in trouble."

"Nah, you'll be fine. He said he was going to be in a council meeting all day today, so we're fine," she replied with reassurance. The both of them began to make their way back from the garden to the palace.

She ducked her head. "Thanks for keeping me company today, Steve. I'm glad you told me about yourself, about everything before you were found. I didn't even know how much time had passed until a few seconds ago when you said we should leave," Jane said with a small laugh.

"Of course. Thanks for listening." Steve gave her a winning smile, and led them through the main entrance. It was just then when the chime that signified dinner was ready rang out through the halls. Both Jane and Steve looked at one another and quickened their pace as much as they were able.

As they approached the dining hall, Jane saw a few of her friends heading in the same direction. When Tony Stark caught her eye, he grinned and walked right up to her.

"Hey, sweetheart! How've you been?"

"I'm doing much better, thanks. Definitely getting there," Jane replied. Tony laughed and gave her arm a light squeeze.

"How's the battle wound?"

"Good, good. It's still hurts from time to time, but it feels almost all better." Steve pulled out a chair for her to sit in, and once she sat down, he pushed it closer to the table. Steve sat on one side of her, and Tony sat across.

"That's great to hear!" he said with a grin.

Others began to file in, and upon seeing Jane's familiar face, became much louder. Each person that approached her seemed to behave strangely, as if they were holding something back. Jane didn't think very much of it, just glad that she could finally be around the others after so much time. Soon, the entire dinner hall was loud and rambunctious. Only three spaces had yet to be filled, belonging to the Allfather, Thor, and Loki.

Frigga sat on the other side of Jane after a little while and turned to face her with a gentle smile.

"Good evening, Lady Jane Foster. How are you faring?" she asked politely. Jane faced her and bowed her head.

"I'm doing well, thank you. Much better than last week."

"This is good news. Did you have a chance to get outside this afternoon?"

Jane nodded. "Yes. Steve was nice enough to accompany me to the gardens. It's beautiful."

"Thank you, Lady Foster; I designed them myself. The gardens look the best in the evening though, I have to say," Frigga replied, pride in her gaze. Jane smiled, and laid her hands in her lap.

"I received a letter from Loki this afternoon. He had mentioned that I would be moved from the healing ward to a room of my own. I wanted to thank you for suggesting that."

Frigga smiled and placed a hand upon her chest. "Oh Lady Foster, this was my son's idea. He knew you would not be too keen on staying put in that ward for much longer. He knew you would want a change of scenery, and I simply agreed. I think you'll like it; he chose the room himself."

Just as Frigga had finished speaking, everyone stood up. The Allfather entered the dining hall, flanked by Thor and Loki. Jane stood up slowly, and Frigga placed a hand on her arm. Loki had not noticed her just yet, the look in his eyes distant.

The Allfather had stood at the head of the table, Thor to his right, and Loki to his left. Frigga left her seat by Jane and walked behind Loki. Whispering in his ear, she placed her hands on his shoulders before he sat down, and his gaze traveled down the table until it fell on Jane. She hadn't noticed his gaze, instead listening to something Steve was telling her.

Once Odin sat down, everyone else followed suit. Jane sat down slowly, careful of her bandaged back, and felt a hand wrap itself over hers. She looked up and smiled; Loki had moved to sit with her. Squeezing her hand, Loki leaned over and planted a small kiss on her cheek.

"I had hoped you would be joining us for dinner tonight; I'm glad to see you have," he whispered. "I missed you today."

Jane smiled to herself; she was about to respond when the food was brought out. Volstagg made a comment about how starved he felt and the entire room erupted in boisterous laughter.

"Did you receive my letter?"

Jane nodded. "Thanks. I'm glad I had a chance to hear from you. How did the council meeting go?"

"As well as could be expected. There is a lot to do, in way of reconstruction and reconciliation with Jotunheim. The newly elected leader of Jotunheim is angry with us for bringing war to their realm—"

"But it wasn't your fault!"

Loki sighed. "I know, but they blame us because Asgard has the strongest connection with Midgard. We are trying our best to placate them, but I'm not sure how well we can negotiate with them, now that our liaison was killed in battle. It would be too dangerous for the Allfather to make the trip himself, and Frigga is not too well versed in political games."

Jane pondered his statement for a moment. "Have you nominated a new liaison yet?" Loki shook his head. She paused; Loki could tell that something was on her mind.

"What is it, love?"

"Well, what if _you_ became the new liaison?" she asked. He was about to protest, but Jane held up a hand. "Wait. Think about it for a second. Think of how well you would do; you're Jotun yourself, so they would have much more cause to trust you. Not to mention you can easily travel between the realms without use of the BiFrost, so if you were needed at a moment's notice, you could be there. Not to mention," she added with a smirk, "you have a way with words." Loki chuckled at her choice of words.

"Your kinder with your words than I would have been," he remarked, causing Jane to laugh out loud. When her laughter died out, he continued. "I must admit you have a point. I will discuss this with the Allfather tomorrow."

oOoOo

The remainder of the meal was spent in trivial talk, as well as listening to Fandral and Volstagg bicker playfully. The Allfather had remained quiet for most of the meal, only observing with a smile in his gaze.

After dinner had concluded, Loki stood up and faced Odin, bowing slightly. The room fell silent as they watched the prince.

"Allfather, I would request that Jane and myself be granted leave. There is much we have to discuss."

_Much to discuss? What is he talking about?_ Jane thought to herself, looking between Loki and his father.

"You may leave," came the wizened voice of the Allfather. Loki bowed his head, and held his hand out for Jane to take. She felt everyone's eyes on her as she rose out of her chair and was led away by Loki. The din of the other dinner guests picked up again once Loki and Jane had left the room.

Loki held his arm out, and Jane looped her arm through his. A confused smile grew on her lips as they continued to walk away from the banquet hall.

"What's going on?"

"Well, I told you I would show you your new room, did I not? And then somewhere else afterward, as I recall," he replied, wearing an amused smirk. Jane raised an eyebrow, but said nothing more.

It wasn't too long before they had reached where they were going. He swung open a large set of double doors and stepped inside. He waved his hand and the oil lamps on the wall lit up, illuminating the entire room. Jane gasped.

This room was nearly as large as her lab in Puente Antiguo. There was a large four-poster bed with cream coloured sheets and a dark bedspread. The floor was a dark stained wood and the walls were just as dark. The ceiling had a wide skylight, and the stars scattered across the dark expanse of navy blue sky.

"It's a little dark, I know, but you can see the stars better when everything around you is darker," he explained. Jane didn't know what to say, so instead she wrapped her arms around Loki's waist. He kissed the top of her head and rested his hands on her shoulders. He missed the feeling of having her in his arms.

Loki sighed and stood up taller, reluctant to release Jane. There was another thing he needed to take care of, and if he dwelled too much with her, he would end up saying nothing.

"Jane, there is something else I wanted to show you. Come with me," he said softly. Jane nodded and followed him, taking hold of his hand. As soon as he stepped out of the room, all of the lamps were extinguished, leaving a trail of darkness behind.

Loki led Jane through several corridors until they came to a set of stairs. Leading the way, he started up the steps and Jane followed closely behind, still holding on to his hand. The staircase spiraled upward, and just when Jane thought that it would never end, she stepped up onto the landing. Loki turned quickly to face her, emerald eyes meeting hers.

"Close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Please, Jane?" he pleaded lightly. Jane rolled her eyes with a smile and closed them. Loki continued to lead her around. After a few moments, Loki came to a stop and stood behind Jane, resting his chin on her head.

"Open your eyes, love," he whispered softly. Jane opened her eyes slowly, and they gradually widened. He had brought her to an observatory; it was one of the most spacious she had ever seen, and there was a particular old world elegance to it that she loved. The walls were lined with books and journals, and the only light that was shining in the room was the small light from a few torches with blue flames on the walls and the starlight emanating from the skylight.

Jane released Loki's hands and walked forward, gaze turned upward toward the stars. This was the closest she had ever been to them before, and it was one of the most breathtaking sights she had ever seen in her life. She'd always been in awe of the stars, and being in the observatory had only served to increase that awe.

She had stood in the center of the observatory for a few minutes, just gazing up at the night sky. Loki approached her slowly and looked up at the stars alongside her. With a gentle sigh, he spoke.

"When Thor and I were boys, our father used to bring us here to study the stars." He paused, and then chuckled. "Thor never had the patience to learn the constellations, but they were always a comfort to me. I always looked forward to when Odin brought us here in the evenings.

"Eventually," he continued with a sigh, "the lessons stopped, but I still found myself coming up here. There were even times when Frigga would find me up here asleep after studying the stars. I loved them. Even when I would wake with terrible nightmares, I would always return here." Jane listened intently without a word.

"What was it you said, when we had only begun to get to know each other? 'I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.' It reminded me of all of the time I spent up here, and how much I missed it."

Jane rubbed her hand along his forearm, giving him a small smile. He inhaled shakily, and Jane could sense that something else weighed on his mind.

"What are you thinking?" she asked gently.

"Jane, I am unsure of where to go from here," he admitted. Jane's eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

Loki moved in front of Jane and grasped both of her hands in his. He stroked the back of them with his thumb as he thought about what he would say next.

"Jane, there are very few things I fear in this life. I fear losing you, but I fear trapping you more than anything. I do not wish you to be forced into something you are not quite ready for."

"I don't know that I understand."

Loki sighed. "I could not have told you any sooner, but Asgardian law dictates that if a mortal is brought to Asgard, he or she must depart within two weeks or wed an Aesir. I was going to talk with you earlier today, but I was called elsewhere and could not reach you. I felt a letter would be too impersonal, and you deserve to hear it face to face.

"What I am trying to get at is that you mean so much to me, Jane. More than you may know. Our hearts seemed to be bound together in some way. When you had awoken for the first time since being brought here, I knew immediately; I felt it in my heart," he explained with a lopsided smile. "But I know your heart, and I have a feeling that marriage is not exactly what you're looking for. I understand, and I fully accept this. I do not want you to feel obligated to me, or anyone else. I want you to make your own decisions and do what feels right in your heart, because that's what matters the most, what matters to me," he finished softly. Jane's mind spun.

When she had been able to collect her thoughts properly, Jane spoke. "Well, you're right," she said with a sad smile. "I don't think I'm ready to be married just yet. It's too soon for me." She released a shaky breath, and her eyes fell to the floor. "I just…don't know that I want to be away from you." Thinking for a few moments, Jane tried to think of other ways out of their situation.

"You could come back to Earth with me. We could wait a little while longer—"

"I cannot leave Asgard, my love. There is so much that needs to be done, and it would be irresponsible for me to leave when Odin needs me the most," he reasoned gently. Jane bit her lip.

_This isn't fair; how could he do this to her?_

"Isn't there another way?" she pleaded.

In that moment, something had happened that Jane could not have fathomed would happen again after Thor: her heart broke.

"How much time do I have left? Before we have to leave?"

"Only a few more days." He sighed. "I am so sorry, Jane. I wish I could have told you earlier, but coward that I am, I didn't have the heart."

Jane closed her eyes and willed herself not to cry. She put her head in her hands and inhaled sharply. Loki pulled her into his arms.

"Whatever you choose Jane, know that I will love you regardless. You've stolen my heart and run away with it, and I am afraid I cannot get it back," he said, a ghost of a smile forming on his lips.

Jane allowed herself to be held, her heart being torn in several different directions. Loki could tell what she was thinking in her silence.

"Jane, do not stay because of me. Only you know what is best for you." She nodded into his chest, making one of the most difficult decisions of her life.

"I have to go," she choked. She knew that she couldn't marry him so soon. Her heart loved him, but she knew that he was not ready to marry just as much as she wasn't. Loki closed his eyes and stroked her hair.

"Shh, it'll be alright."

"No, it won't. It's not fair."

He stood silently, letting her catch her breath as she forced herself not to cry.

"I'm afraid to let you go."

oOoOo

The next few days went by in a blur. The others had been preparing to leave, and apparently, they had all known that Loki was going to give her the option to stay and marry him or return to Earth that night. They all treated Jane as if she was made of glass, and the strange thing was, that was exactly how she felt. It was very difficult to keep everything together; everything ached and she always felt tired. She was tired of doors being closed in her face, and this was no different. Just as she was so sure she knew she loved Loki, everything had been snatched from her grasp, just out of her reach.

She had kept to herself for fear of breaking down in front of anyone. If she spent any time with any one person, it was Loki. Even though they did not speak much with each other, the comfort of one another's presence was enough to fill the space that would soon open up as soon as they parted.

The morning of the departure, Jane could not speak. She refused to eat or drink, and she stayed in her room until Loki came for her. Without saying a word, he held his hand out for her, and she took it.

Everyone had traveled to the heart of the BiFrost, including Odin and Frigga. Each of Jane's friends had been waiting on the two of them, and looked away as they approached. Loki and Jane stopped just before the bridge entrance and faced one another. Loki brought Jane's hands up to his chest and leaned his head against hers. Both closed their eyes and remained silent for a few moments.

Loki was the first to speak.

"Farewell, my love," he whispered hoarsely. Jane squeezed his hands tightly.

"Don't say goodbye, Loki. We'll see each other again," she replied, tears in her eyes. "You see, one day, we will never have to say goodbye; only goodnight. Remember that."

Loki cupped her face in his hands and brought her lips to his. He tasted of sorrow and grief, of need and longing. Jane broke away first, knowing she would not be able to leave if she stayed any longer. Stepping back, she stood with her friends as Heimdall opened the BiFrost.

"We thank you all for the deeds you have done to help ensure that peace reigns in the Nine Realms. Words cannot adequately express our gratitude. Journey safe, and my blessing go along with you," Odin said with a nod. Everyone bowed their heads in thanks, and the BiFrost began to illuminate the chamber.

Loki stood by his brother, arms hanging limply at his sides. Jane stood a little straighter, and her gaze met Loki's. Tears rolled down his porcelain cheeks, and he smiled sadly at her. He began to mouth something to her. She was only barely able to catch the words just before the BiFrost swallowed them up.

_See you soon._


	21. Chapter 21

_Five Months Later_

Jane hugged Erik goodnight as he left the main lab area. Looking over to the wall clock, she sighed; _11:48 PM._ Jane tiredly set down her mug of coffee on the lab table and rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands as her thoughts floated to memories of months past.

_When Jane had returned to Earth with the others, Tony had called Pepper and asked for someone to come and pick them up. They were met with a convoy of black cars and immediately taken back to base to be debriefed. Jane had been numb throughout the entire meeting. Her focus was occupied with the goodbye._

_She had later come to find out that Director Fury was not particularly happy with the turn of events in Asgard and Jotunheim, especially since Thor and Loki had not returned with them, but Tony was quick to defend their actions._

_After much argument and deliberation, Fury had eventually agreed release everyone now that the threat was gone. Each went their separate ways, but promised to keep in touch with Jane. Tony told her to call every day, worried for how she would react to being back home and thrown back into a normal lifestyle. Pepper offered to fly her to Malibu to stay with them whenever she needed to get away, but Jane politely declined. Pepper reinforced her offer, and Jane said she would consider it if the need ever arose._

_Barton and Romanov had said goodbye to everyone without disclosing where they were headed. In a way, Jane had known that the two of them would always stay together._

_Banner decided to stay close to Puente Antiguo, as did Steve. Banner explained that he liked the open space, and Steve admitted that he didn't have anywhere else to stay, being seventy years in the future. Jane offered to let them both bunk up in her lab; now that Darcy had gone back to university, she had two open rooms. When she'd asked Erik, he consented, welcoming them warmly._

_To keep her time occupied and her thoughts away from Loki, Jane had begun to assist Bruce with his theory of how to recreate the serum used to create the super soldier. Although she really specialized in astrophysics, she welcomed the challenge. Having Steve around was helpful sometimes, but most of the time he did not understand what they discussed. _

_Jane spent a lot of time with Steve too; whenever Banner was too engrossed in his work, they just talked. Jane helped to acclimate Steve to the twenty-first century, and he told her about how different it was back in the forties. In truth, Steve had become one of her closest friends since returning to Midgard; with Darcy off to university and Erik hardly around, she needed someone to confide in. He was like the big brother she'd always wanted but never had; he looked out for her and been her source of support when she needed it._

_And Loki…_

Jane was brought back to reality by the sound of a door opening and closing. She turned toward the hallway and saw Steve walking down the hallway, rubbing his eyes and yawning as he made his way to the kitchen area. He was dressed in a white form fitting tee and grey sweatpants, feet bare.

"What are you doing?" Jane asked, a smile growing on her lips.

"Getting some water. Did anyone ever tell you it's really dry out here?"

She laughed. "I _have_ in fact heard that one before. But thanks for reminding me."

"Anytime." He reached into one of the overhead cabinets and pulled down a glass, filling it with tap water from the kitchen sink. He took several big gulps before he finished the glass. Once it was refilled, he walked over to Jane.

"You need some sleep, Jane. Staying up this late every night isn't good for you."

"I know, but I would rather stay awake than sleep and face the nightmares I know will come," she replied. Steve sighed.

"What if you talked through them?"

"That's the thing; it's always the same one. It's always the one with Loki," she explained. Steve nodded sympathetically. "I know it's because I miss him."

"Do you wanna go outside? It looks really clear out tonight." His suggestion brought a smile to her lips; he always knew just what to say when she was upset. Jane nodded.

"Alright. Lemme just get some shoes."

oOoOo

Jane and Steve spent the next hour or so walking around outside, sometimes talking, sometimes silent. The cool desert air soothed her occupied mind and restless heart. They eventually came to a spot outside, somewhat far from the lab, and laid down facing the sky. Steve, having the forethought to bring his leather jacket, gave it to Jane to prop her head up. She took it gratefully; Steve rested his head on his hands.

"I just…_miss_ him. I always find myself wondering what would have happened if I had said yes, if I had stayed with him. Things would be so different." Steve said nothing, only listened.

"Everything is just different from when Thor left. When Thor left, I was frustrated, but I got over it. I had Loki to help distract me from waiting on him. And everything just changed. I realized it wasn't just because I didn't miss Thor anymore; it was because I loved Loki. And now he's gone. I lost him because I didn't have the courage to say yes."

Jane sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't want to bore you. This is just dumb stuff."

"No, don't be sorry, Jane. Who else are you gonna talk about this with? I don't know that Banner would exactly have the best advice," he joked. "But in all seriousness, you may have been right to come back here; you said you weren't ready, and maybe he wasn't either," he finished with a shrug.

"You're probably right. It doesn't make it any better though. Having to go to sleep each night thinking about what could have been."

Steve paused. "Well, maybe he'll come back. The bridge was rebuilt, so why not?"

"Well if that's true, why wouldn't he have come back earlier?"

"Jane, there could be a million reasons I could list right now, but we'll never know for sure."

The both of them lay down in silence for the next couple of minutes, staring up at the stars. Jane sat up and rested her chin on her knees. Steve followed suit and squeezed her arm in assurance. Looking at the stars brought tears to her eyes, and she swiped them away quickly. Steve scooted closer to her and picked up his leather jacket from off of the ground and covered her shoulders. Jane rested her head on her knees and cried. Steve pulled her close and rubbed her back.

"Aw, Jane, it'll be okay. Don't worry."

"I miss him."

"I know. I know it's hard, but everything gets better. You'll see."

Jane wiped her eyes with the back of her hands and turned to look at him, resting her temple on her arms.

"How did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"How did you handle coming back after seventy years and know that you wouldn't see Peggy again?"

Steve let out a big breath, and smiled sadly. _Right for the heart._

"It's been…difficult. I miss her every day. It's not necessarily the big things that I miss, but it's the little things. Like the way she used to walk, or talk. I miss the way that she used to smile. It wasn't just her entire face that it lit up, but her eyes. Her eyes would smile too.

"I guess I always try to remember how much I love her, and how much I miss her. It's the little things like her smile that keep the memory of her alive," he finished, giving her a lopsided smile. Jane listened, her eyelids starting to droop.

"C'mon, what do you say we head back, and you get some sleep? You could use it."

Jane rolled her eyes and lightly punched his arm. He stood up first and held out his hand, pulling her up as soon as she grabbed it.

oOoOo

Jane walked up the steps to her trailer sluggishly. Sleeping was a bittersweet affair; she would always see Loki behind closed eyelids, but she would only be reminded of how much she missed him and how much she couldn't bear to lose him.

She turned on the fan when she walked inside, trying to circulate the air within the stuffy trailer. She pulled her tee over her head and walked toward the bed, reaching for her nightshirt. When she was dressed and ready for sleep, she flopped down on the mattress, hardly remembering her head hitting the pillow.

oOoOo

The next day, Jane was rudely awakened by loud banging on her trailer door. Turning over on her side, she stretched and looked up at the wall clock. _8:07 AM._ Jane groaned and willed herself out of bed.

The pounding continued, and Jane sat up. "Just a second!" she called. Slipping on a pair of jeans and socks, Jane made her way over to the door. She swung it open to come face to face with Erik.

"Morning, Jane. Just wanted to say goodbye before I'm off," he said with a smile. The sun was hidden behind a cloud cover, subduing the usual bright morning light. Nevertheless, she squinted from confusion.

"Wait, what do you mean? I thought you were staying the rest of the week?"

"I was, but the university asked me to come back early and give a few seminars on astrophysics. They have a heavy influx of foreign exchange students, and no one to fill the position of teaching the classes until next week," he explained. Jane pressed her lips together and nodded, letting out a sigh. Erik shrugged.

"I'm sorry, Jane. I wish I could stay longer. Don't be afraid to call me though, okay?"

Jane nodded again.

"Good. Come here and give me a proper hug before I go," he requested with a smile. Jane stepped down from the trailer and wrapped her arms around her friend's neck. He hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head.

"Call me when you get in, okay?" she mumbled into his shirt.

"I will. I'll see you in a month or so. I'll have more details when I get there." Erik released her and smiled.

"See you, Jane."

Jane watched as her friend and mentor walked toward the taxicab that waited for him in front of the lab. She waved as the cab drove away, leaving a cloud of thick dust in its wake.

Jane sighed and walked back into her trailer. She slammed the door shut behind her and flipped on the lights. She hadn't realized how messy it was, and she immediately set out to clean it. She couldn't fathom what made her want to clean it so much, but she felt the need to occupy herself, to find a sort of distraction.

Nearly an hour later, Jane had finished cleaning everything and organizing her belongings. For the first time since she had returned to Earth, she could see the floor on her trailer.

She ran a hand through her hair and paused. Now that she thought of it, she felt grimy. Before too long, the water in the tiny shower was running down her skin and soaking her completely. She let the lukewarm water wash over her body as she thought about the day. She knew she couldn't look at her research, knowing that she would only be reminded of him.

_Pull yourself together, Jane. It's been five months; you need to move on_.

Shutting the water off, Jane stepped out of the shower and dried off. She chose a pair of clean pants and a flannel shirt, pulling it over her head. As she was drying her hair, she heard a loud knock on her door.

"Jane? You up yet?"

"Yeah, hold on."

Jane walked toward the door and swung it open. Banner stood there with a tired smile on his face.

"Hey, Bruce. What's up?"

"I think I may have found something important, you know, with the research. I was wondering if you would look it over just to make sure that it's sound."

"Yeah, no problem. Be right out."

oOoOo

The majority of the day was spent going over notes and research, getting it ready to be sent off to a few universities for review. Erik called as soon as 7:00 PM hit, letting her know he landed and was on the way to the university.

They finally stopped when she saw Steve walk into the room.

"Hey guys, how about some dinner?" As soon as he mentioned it, Jane's stomach growled. She nodded.

"Do you want me to make something or do you wanna go down to the bar?"

Both Banner and Steve looked at each other and shrugged. Jane knew they both liked her cooking, so she headed over to the kitchen. As she began to pull food out of the pantry and fridge, her cell phone rang. Steve picked it up and looked at the caller ID, tossing it to Jane.

"It's Darcy." At this, Jane immediately picked up.

"Darcy?"

"Hi, Jane! What's going on?"

"Oh nothing exciting. Just gonna make some dinner here really quick. What's up?"

She heard a knock on the glass doors at the front of the lab. Jane turned and nearly dropped her phone; there stood Darcy with a grin on her face, flanked by none other than Pepper Potts and Tony Stark.

She hung up and ran to the doors. Darcy met her with a big hug.

"Hey, Jane! Missed you! I ran into these guys at the airport and they offered me a ride here," she explained with a grin, jabbing her thumb in their direction.

"I thought you weren't coming back for another few months! What's going on?" Jane asked, happy yet confused. Darcy shrugged.

"Thought you could use a friend."

"Hey, quit stealing my thunder, Lewis," Tony admonished playfully. He held his arms open expectantly for Jane, and she hugged him, followed by Pepper. Banner and Steve shook hands with Tony, and Jane introduced them to Darcy.

Heading back to the kitchen area, Jane began making dinner again.

"So what's the story with you and Pepper, Tony? What made you decide to drop by?" Banner asked. Tony shrugged.

"Needed a vacation."

He began to explain more, but Jane started to tune him out, focused on what she was doing. Every once in a while she would catch something he said and smile to herself. It was good to have them back.

As she was stirring the vegetables in the skillet, Jane felt a cool breeze on the back of her neck, causing goose bumps to rise on her skin. She froze, and closed her eyes. The sensation radiated through the scar on her back, sending a tingle through her fingertips. The cold seemed to encase her entire hand.

_Loki._

She sighed, willing the tightness in her chest to go away. After a few moments, her breathing returned to normal and she resumed cooking, although her thoughts remained distant.

Taking down a stack of plates from the cupboard, Jane served up the stir-fry and called everyone over. Pepper acutely picked up on Jane's change in countenance, but didn't say anything. She knew the reason, and felt it best to leave her alone.

"Eat up," Jane said with a weak smile.

oOoOo

Loki opened his eyes. His breathing hitched, and he raised a hand to his neck, just at the collarbone. He sat cross-legged on the floor of the observatory in the palace, the dim light of the blue torches illuminating his pale face.

His hands shook with exhaustion; he knew he should not have reached out for her, but he _had_ to. He needed to feel her skin, her touch, even if it meant her only feeling a whisper of wind on the back of her neck. He knew how much energy it took to reach Midgard solely with magic, and he felt utterly drained.

_But it doesn't matter. I would give anything to see her._

Loki's thoughts were interrupted by heavy footfalls approaching slowly.

"Good evening, Thor," Loki greeted dully. Thor paused, but proceeded to walk toward Loki.

"Will you not join us downstairs? Mother has asked after you."

Loki shook his head. "I am not well. I do not want to dampen the mood."

Thor paused and thought about his brother's words.

"You miss her," he stated bluntly, to which Loki only remained silent.

"I should not have let her go," he mumbled. Thor sat down next to his brother and looked up to the stars.

"This place makes you think of her, does it not?" Loki nodded.

"Very much." He sighed mutely. "Every star is the sky is a reflection of her eyes, of her spirit. I miss the easy sound of her voice, the sureness of her stride. All of it. I was wrong not to tell her how much she means to me, not to plead with her to stay."

"She knows, brother. Believe me." He paused. "Do you speak with Heimdall?"

"No. I am never near the BiFrost; you know I use my own means of travel between the realms."

Thor was silent as he thought about what he would say next. "You know, I do not see why you should not go to Midgard and see her. You have the means. Why haven't you?"

Loki shook his head. "Because she has no doubt moved on. Why bring about memories that would only be painful for the both of us?" The look in his eyes was distant. "I would not wish that for her."

"I am here to tell you that what you say cannot possibly be true." Loki looked over to Thor in confusion. "I have asked after Jane a few times. She misses you. I have never seen the light in her eyes as dim as they are now."

Loki met his older brother's cerulean gaze. He searched his eyes and knew he spoke the truth.

Thor could see a glimmer of hope spark in Loki's eyes. He stood and faced him, hand outstretched. Loki took it, standing slowly.

"I do not doubt you will find one another again."

oOoOo

Loki spent yet another sleepless night in the palace observatory. After Thor had left, he pored over astronomical journals, many of them filled with his own handwriting. He had not noticed the night had slipped past him until a palace guard had come to retrieve him.

He bowed. "My prince, the Allfather has requested that you meet with him in the throne room immediately." Once the message had been delivered, the guard bowed once again and turned away from him.

Loki sighed and transported himself from the observatory to the hallway before the throne room. Once he was ready, he stepped forward through the doorway.

Odin stood with his hands behind his back as Loki walked toward him, bowing when he reached the throne.

"You asked to see me?"

"You are needed this evening in Jotunheim. Skadi has called upon you to discuss matters which I can only assume relate to peace mediations," Odin explained. Loki dreaded the words that fell from Odin's mouth. Every time Loki had visited Jotunheim in hopes of reestablishing peace, Skadi always had some other plan, which usually meant ceaseless attempts at seduction.

Odin sensed the change in his son's countenance almost immediately. "What weighs on your mind, my son?"

Loki shook his head. "Nothing, Allfather. I am simply tired," he lied seamlessly. Odin gave him a wary glance, but did not press the issue.

"I wish you a successful trip. I hope that peace between Jotunheim and Asgard can finally be achieved. Best of luck."

With that, Odin dismissed Loki and left the throne room. Loki scowled, and within a small flash, was gone.

oOoOo

Loki appeared in front of the ice palace that evening and stood still. Seeing it always brought his mind to Jane, the reason why he stood there now. He shivered at the thought. Taking a deep breath, he made his way to the front entrance, met by new palace guards.

"I have been sent for by Skadi," he explained coolly. The guards nodded, turned, and escorted Loki to the council chambers. One there, they opened the door, and Skadi stood at the end of the room. With a wave of her hand, she dismissed the guards, leaving the two of them alone. Both bowed their heads toward each other, and Skadi spoke first.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice, Prince," she purred.

"What is it you called me for, Skadi?" Loki returned. Skadi was taken by surprise by his icy tone of voice. Nevertheless, she approached him slowly, a slight predatory smile on her lips. Loki gave her a bored look, and Skadi ran a finger across his shoulders. He shuddered at her touch, despite the thick layer of cloth and leather that separated them.

"If this meeting was not called to discuss diplomatic matters between Asgard and Jotunheim, I have no business being here."

"Who said I did not call you to discuss diplomatic matters?"

"Make your point known, Skadi, and quickly," Loki demanded.

"If you insist on being so cold, so be it. As it turns out, I have a…proposition for you. For the Allfather," she said vaguely. "I believe that the best way to achieve peace for both realms is through a union."

"I assume you mean a union between you and myself."

"Naturally. And who better to rule at my side than you? We both know who and _what_ you are." Loki remained silent. Skadi frowned at the lack of response.

"Answer me, Prince."

"I would not enter into such an agreement. I do not wish to rule," he said carefully. He almost added _with you_, but decided against it. He knew he had to maintain a detached demeanor.

"And why ever not? After all, you _are_ its rightful king, _Laufeyson_," she replied, adding emphasis on his true surname. His jaw clenched, but he did not respond. Skadi reached out a hand and brushed his cheek, but he smacked it away, turning angrily.

"Enough of your games, Skadi," he spat, taking hold of her wrist tightly. "I grow tired of your schemes. I have tried, for _months_, to work with you to achieve some sort of truce between our realms, but you are determined to try my patience. Up until now, I have overlooked your senseless advances for I refuse to be made the fool by you, and I certainly will not enter into such a union with you." His skin changed at her touch, his green eyes turning to a menacing scarlet.

Skadi snarled, baring her teeth. "It's because of that _mortal_ woman, isn't it?" Loki's gaze momentarily flickered, and a malicious grin grew on the giantess' face. "So it _is_! Do not look at me that way; I knew she was here, that day you all came for her. Every one of the Nine Realms knows about your little human plaything. Pretty face, small frame. I wonder, after all of this time, that you haven't gone to her? Surely she must have forgotten you by now, moved on."

Loki's grip on her wrist tightened, making her wince, but she did not stop there. "Why would you choose her, a mortal woman? Her life will have gone in the blink of an eye. Bah, mortality. How feeble. And, I must say, how feeble minded you have become. Here, I had thought you were the God of Mischief and Mayhem, but I see all of that has changed. Because of a mere mortal. Pity."

Loki pushed her away, putting distance between the two of them, and turned his back. His skin and eyes returned to their original shades. Skadi stood up a little straighter and began to circle him as a predator would.

"Tell me, Loki, what has she to offer to you? What does she have to offer that I cannot? I can provide you with a realm to rule, ready for the taking. I can provide you with the love you never received. I can be the lover that she cannot. I can provide the peace that you so _earnestly_ seek on behalf of the Allfather," she said with a hungry smile. He turned around to face her. Despite the disgust and contempt written on his heart for the giantess, he was careful to keep his emotions hidden and not react to her words.

"Our business here is finished," he stated calmly. He stepped closer to her, making her involuntarily shrink back. Her reaction made him smirk. "Now, I do not want to hear from you again unless you have some worthwhile business to discuss. I should not like to waste my time idly rejecting you. If I am to return here, it will be because the Allfather has sent me with an ultimatum, and nothing more. If you _ever_ make off-handed remarks again, I will see to it that your lips be sewn shut. Believe me when I say that is not something you want," he threatened harshly. He tilted his head to the side, his green eyes meeting her red ones. "Do I make myself clear?"

Skadi contemplated his threat, searching his face for any hesitation. As she stared back, she decided his threat was not empty and shut her mouth. She wasn't about to further challenge the God of Mischief.

"Perfectly."

Loki stepped back and left Jotunheim without another word.

oOoOo

Jane awoke the next morning with a throbbing headache. Sitting up on her mattress, she pressed a palm to her forehead. She forced herself to breathe deeply, helping the pain gradually subside to a dull ache. Her thoughts drifted to the previous night, of the surprise visit of her best friend and guests.

Then, she thought of the strange feeling that Loki had briefly stood behind her in the kitchen.

_Don't be stupid, Jane. He wouldn't waste his energy on you after all this time. He's probably forgotten about you. Time to get a move on._

Jane reluctantly pulled herself out from under the sheets. The light drizzle from the previous evening had turned into rain this morning, and the prospect of staying in bed the entire day sounded appealing.

_You can't be lazy anymore, Jane. There's work to be done._

Swinging her legs over the bed, she pulled on a comfortable pair of pants and a sweatshirt. Jane gave herself a once-over and pulled her hood over her head before leaving the trailer. It was a little warm despite the downpour, but not something she wanted to stick around for nonetheless. Darcy had seen her come out of the trailer while she was in the kitchen and she opened the door for her friend.

"Mornin'," Darcy said sleepily.

"Morning, Darcy. Is Bruce up yet?"

"Yeah, actually. He mentioned something about needing to talk to you." Jane looked at her friend expectantly, but the latter only shrugged.

"I dunno what it's about, but he's in his room. Have some coffee first, though." In Jane's clouded mind, coffee was a beautiful idea. She followed her dark-haired companion into the kitchen area and patiently waited for a steaming mug of black coffee.

As she waited for it, Bruce walked in from the back rooms, dressed and ready to go for the day. His eyes landed on Jane and he smiled.

"Hey, Jane. Sleep okay?"

She shrugged. "As well as I could. How about you?"

"Pretty good. Listen, I got a call from Fury last night, and he received a copy of the research we've been doing with the super soldier serum. He asked Steve and me to fly over, and I wanted you to come as well. Do you think you're up for it?" At Jane's hesitation, he added, "You don't have to decide now; the flight isn't for another two days. I just thought you might want to get away, and New York has plenty of distractions."

He gave Jane a sweet smile. "I'll think about it."

"Perfect."

oOoOo

The day passed by quickly, the rain not letting up at all. The day turned into night, and night into morning. She had spent the better part of the night contemplating Bruce's offer. So far, the pros outweighed the cons. She could have a good distraction. She knew she needed time away from Puente Antiguo. Steeling her resolve, she began to pack a suitcase and told Bruce she wanted to go soon after.

The three of them spent nearly two weeks in New York. It proved to be a welcome distraction for Jane, and when she wasn't talking to Fury with Banner, she was out on the town with Steve. Although he didn't know New York as it was now, he still knew the streets pretty well, so they found their way around the bustling city fairly easily. Jane couldn't remember the last time she was in a city so busy; her mind hardly had any time to think about _him_.

After two weeks in New York had come to an end, the three of them flew back to New Mexico, returning to the daily life they had once known.

The plane had touched down at about 9:30 PM, and Jane, Bruce, and Steve proceeded sluggishly through the terminal to baggage claim to the taxi. Jane fell asleep on the car ride home, head leaning against the window. It didn't feel like much longer before they reached Puente Antiguo and Jane found herself being shaken awake by Banner.

Stepping out of the taxi, Jane breathed in the warm desert air; it smelled like home to her. She walked around to the back of the taxi to find that Steve had already unloaded her luggage from the trunk. Taking her wallet out of her back pocket, Jane proceeded to pay the taxi driver before heading toward her trailer.

Opening the door, Jane dragged her suitcase through the tiny trailer, not bothering to unpack. She swapped her jeans for sweats and sneakers for sandals, only keeping her thin tee. After all, it was still warm outside.

Despite the exhaustion that threatened to envelop her that very moment, the stars had a stronger calling than sleep did. She walked out of her trailer and to the lab. The lab was dark and the only light came from the blinking of sleeping computer monitors. Jane quietly made her way to the stairs that led to the rooftop.

Tonight was especially dark, but it only made the stars appear brighter. She lay down on a lawn chair and curled her legs up to her stomach. She supported her head with her forearm and silently began to name the stars that she knew by heart.

"You know, I find that the stars are more beautiful from farther away."

Jane froze.

_Impossible_.

A cool breeze tickled her nose, carrying with it the familiar scent she had come to love. She sat up and looked straight ahead. There, sitting on the ledge of the roof, was Loki.

He stood up slowly, not taking his eyes from hers. Jane stood as well, meeting him halfway. Her hand rose to her mouth as she searched his face, unable to tell if he was real or just a product of her worn out mind. She looked closer, studied him more carefully. He did not stand as he once did; his lack of posture and dark circles under his eyes were strong indicators of how tired he was. Though his exhaustion appeared clear to her, there was a certain restlessness in his eyes that she couldn't explain.

Loki reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. He began to think of what he wanted to say, but no words could be sufficient enough to convey the thoughts in his mind or the feeling in his heart.

The expression in Jane's eyes was enough to melt any type of resolve he would have had. Loki immediately pulled her closer; he buried his face in the crook of her neck and breathed her in. _Valhalla, how I've missed her_.

Jane rested her cheek on his chest, her mind racing. Neither of them said anything; truthfully, neither of them could find the right words to say. Loki stepped back and met her warm eyes. He felt her confusion, her desire to ask questions, to understand what was happening, but most of all, he saw love shining brightly in her gaze.

In that moment, he knew that she needed him just as much as he needed her.

Loki's lips met hers, almost of their own volition; it was as if that's where they knew they belonged. At first, the kiss was gentle, almost chaste, but the desire arose, as did the want. Jane stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him as close as she could. Her fingers laced through his raven hair, and his hands cupped her face. Her strong insistence had caused him to slightly stumble, his hands moving from her face to her waist to keep his balance. His taste for her felt insatiable; it was as if his body had only just reawakened itself at her touch and couldn't be satisfied with the mere thought of her.

When it got to the point where neither could breathe, Loki reluctantly broke away from her sweet embrace. They both stared at each other breathlessly.

"I waited for you," Jane blurted. Loki's breathing hitched.

"You did?"

"I knew since the moment I left that I was leaving my heart behind."

Loki leaned his forehead against Jane's. "You're all I've thought about. The second you left, I did as you suggested and became royal liaison. I knew that if all else failed, I would at least be able to have an excuse to see you whenever I could." He laughed shakily. "Little did I know how taxing it is trying to fix broken peace." Jane laughed, and Loki relaxed. Her laugh was one of the most beautiful things he had ever heard; it always put him at ease. Jane took his hand in hers and led them both to the lawn chair, and they sat down side by side.

"We both know that you're the only one that could handle anything like that and still have their sanity intact," she supplied, giving his hand a squeeze.

"Believe me when I say I almost lost my sanity a few times," he replied, thinking of Skadi. Pushing the thought from his mind, he turned the conversation to her.

"How have you been? What have you done these past months since I last saw you?" he asked softly. Jane looked at their clasped hands and exhaled.

"Well, I've actually been helping Bruce with his super soldier serum research. Not really something I'm an expert in, but I think I've got the hang of it." She paused. "Bruce and Steve both live here in the lab now. Steve didn't really have a place to go, and Bruce liked the open desert, just in case, you know, the other guy makes an appearance. Darcy went back to school, and Erik's teaching at university. It's nice to have some company," she said with a content grin. It faltered. "It's been difficult though."

He moved to sit on the ground in front of Jane on his knees. He inhaled sharply before looking her in the eye. "Jane, these past few months have been some of the most trying months I have ever been through. Not only have I had to deal with the process of rebuilding, but I have had to find a way to will myself out of bed even though I know I would not see you. I saw you everywhere, especially in the evening sky. I could not get away from you. I knew that I _didn't_ want to be away from you, and that letting you go was one of the most regrettable things I have ever done. I know that at the time it was what was best for the both of us, but now, I'm not entirely sure that's true. I am so sorry for letting you go. I was so utterly wrong, and I'm sorry." He started to stumble over his words, unable to find precisely what needed to be said. His effort made Jane's giddy heart beat quickly. A playful smirk began to form.

"What's this? Loki Silvertongue at a loss for words?" Jane said jokingly. Loki brought one of her hands to his lips and smiled, looking up at her with glittering green eyes.

"Only with you, my love." Jane blushed. _Joke's on you, Jane_, she thought to herself.

Loki sighed. "I never want to be away from you again. I apologize that I could not have had enough courage to tell you that in the first place. To tell you that I needed you the most. I'm sorry I could not have been the man you deserved all those months ago." Jane shook her head and placed her palm against his cheek.

"You know, you apologize a lot for someone who does nothing wrong," Jane said with a lopsided smile. Loki grinned at the memory. Jane continued. "Please don't think like that Loki. We _both_ made that decision. It was just as much my decision as it was yours." She smiled ruefully. "I still find myself living with the consequences of that choice six months later."

Loki's eyes met hers, the humor in his gaze replaced by earnest. He removed Jane's hand from his cheek and held it tightly, doing the same with her other hand.

"I will not dance around this subject any longer. The entire truth is that I want you. I want you to be at my side always. I refuse to believe the lie that I could live without that, without _you_. It is not possible. I want to spend every moment with you, awake or asleep." He inhaled shakily and Jane squeezed his hands, giving him the courage he needed to continue. "Jane Foster, I love you with every fiber in my being, and I want to know if you feel the same. I want to know if _you_ want the same."

Jane froze. She searched his eyes and found the real question that he did not voice: _will you marry me?_ He gave her a small and sincere smile, knowing she knew what he was alluding to. She brought a hand up to her mouth in shock. His smile faltered at her silence, and Jane momentarily panicked; she didn't want to leave him without an answer. Since she could not find her voice, she settled for a nod. Loki visibly relaxed, and rested his head in Jane's lap.

Jane lifted Loki's head from her lap. She brought her lips to his and kissed him sweetly. This kiss was not like the one they had shared moments before; it was loving and kind. It was the sole confirmation for him that Jane was his and his alone; that she agreed wholeheartedly to be his wife and never leave his side. She stroked his cheek with her thumb, wiping away the stray tear that had fallen.

Jane proceeded to tug at Loki's arm gently, inviting him to sit up on the lawn chair. He stood and moved to sit next to her, but she shifted so that he sat behind her. He leaned back against the chair and pulled Jane onto his chest.

"Jane?"

"Hmm?"

"I strongly believe that there could not possibly be another being in all of the Nine Realms that is as happy as you've just made me."

"Likewise."

Loki kissed the top of her head and traced the outline of her scar until she fell asleep in his arms.

oOoOo

"Tony! Jesus, watch where you're driving! You're gonna hit someone one day!"

"Relax, Nat. I got everything under control. And besides," he continued, "it's not like _I_ was the one to pick a late flight time. I have to drive fast if we're going to get there on time."

Tony weaved in and out of traffic. Pepper was growing nervous in the passenger seat; he really was going to kill someone, if not everyone in the car.

"Anthony Stark! Slow down! You're going to miss the off ramp!" Pepper admonished. Tony cut across four lanes of traffic, narrowly making the exit.

"Jesus, Stark," Barton muttered under his breath. Ignoring everyone's protests, he stepped on the gas. Puente Antiguo was about an hour drive from the airport, but he was about to cut that in half.

"Trust me guys. We'll be there in no time."

oOoOo

Jane saw the black SUV drive up the road just in time. She exhaled in relief. _Finally._ Pepper and Tony jumped out of the car, Barton and Natasha still remaining. Pepper opened the lab door.

"You guys ready to go?"

Jane nodded and headed for the door, followed by Erik, Bruce, and Steve. They all piled in the SUV and Tony sped off.

They reached the BiFrost within minutes. Jane jumped out of the car and ran to the center of it.

"Let's hope this works," she muttered under her breath. "Heimdall? Can we come through the BiFrost? Please?"

Not a moment later, dark clouds began to swirl overhead before surrounding them in white light. The BiFrost room appeared before them, its Gatekeeper standing diligently at the center, sword in hand.

"Welcome to Asgard, Lady Foster and friends." Heimdall turned to face Jane. "Frigga waits for you in her quarters. As for the rest of you, once you reach the palace you will be escorted to the main hall."

Without another word, Heimdall led them out of the BiFrost room. The group quickly made their way to the palace. Once at the open doors, Jane turned to face her friends.

"This is it," she said nervously. Pepper hugged her quickly.

"We'll see you in a little while," she said. Tony gave her a wink before turning away with the escorts. Jane turned around to find a pageboy waiting for her.

"Are you Lady Foster?" Jane nodded. He bowed his head.

"Please follow me. Lady Frigga awaits."

The pageboy led Jane through several hallways until he reached the entrance to Frigga's chambers. He bowed and left. Jane nervously stepped forward and knocked.

"Come in," came a soft and familiar voice. Jane swung the heavy door open and found Frigga standing by a tall armoire. She wore a soft pink dress with long sleeves and floor length skirt.

Frigga smiled and approached Jane. "Just in time. I thought I would help you prepare. Did you have anything in particular you wanted to wear today?"

"No. I haven't had much time, ma'am. Everything has happened so quickly," Jane explained lamely.

"That is almost a blessing in disguise. I had some dresses made for you to choose from," Frigga replied with a warm smile. She turned and opened the armoire to reveal a series of four dresses. Frigga took each of them down from their hangers and laid them out individually on her bed. The first one was a simple white with blue embroidery. The second one was deep blue with silvery embroidery, and the third one was a forest green with gold trim. The fourth one, and by far Jane's favorite, was a cream coloured dress with green embroidery and gold accents.

"You may choose whichever one you like," she continued. "Although, the last one is my personal favorite."

Jane smiled. "Mine too."

Frigga lifted the dress from off of the bed and turned it over. Jane gasped. The back was completely open; it didn't connect at the top and the bottom of the opening would sit at the small of her back. She shook her head.

"I don't think I can wear it."

"Why ever not?"

"Because…because my scar would show," she explained in a small voice. Frigga walked over to where Jane stood and took hold of her hands.

"Jane, that does not matter. You will look beautiful."

"But it covers my _entire_ back. The back of the dress would reveal it completely."

Frigga smiled sympathetically. "Why don't you try it on and decide then? You never know."

Jane nodded and reluctantly allowed Frigga to undress and dress her. The dress fit unlike anything Jane had ever worn, and it was comfortable. Frigga moved her in front of a mirror, allowing Jane to see the dress on herself. Jane turned, dreading what she would look like. She saw the large sunburst scar that spread all over her back and winced.

"This may a strange thing to say, but that scar is a beautiful thing." Jane turned to face Frigga, confused. "If anything," she continued, "it is a symbol of the strength of the love you have for Loki. The strength to step in front of Death and take the place of another person."

Jane had never really thought about it that way; it was always just a reminder of a dark time she never wanted to revisit. She swept her hair away from the scar and stared at it in the mirror. Strangely enough, it _did_ look beautiful. Jane smiled to herself and faced Frigga.

"This is it."

oOoOo

Jane could hardly focus. Everything overwhelmed her. The enormous crowd, the seemingly endless path toward the throne, the friends that stood close by, grins on their faces. Jane could swear she saw Erik cry.

And him.

His eyes were on her the entire time; they never left her face. His hands shook as they held hers for the binding rites. They still shook as the rune of the wedding knot was etched on both of their wrists.

Even as the ceremony came to a close, Jane was all he could see. All he would ever see.

_Epilogue: Two months later_

Jane looked at herself in the bathroom mirror and covered her smile with her hand. She had woken up with the strangest feeling; she had snuck out of their bedroom to talk with the healers about it.

Opening the bathroom door quietly, Jane peeked her head out. Loki still lay in bed, sheets wrapped around him. One arm rested above his head on the pillow and the other was thrown across his stomach. She could tell by the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest that he was still asleep.

Jane walked over to the bed and carefully climbed in next to him. He looked so peaceful; Jane debated whether or not she should really wake him up.

Loki, feeling the weight beside him, inhaled deeply and stretched. He opened his eyes and smiled at his wife.

"Well, this is unusual. I am always the one waking you up," he said with a smile. He turned on his side and propped his head up on his hand. Jane, unable to sit still, sat up and crossed her legs, facing him. He raised an eyebrow.

"Is there something you wish to tell me?"

Jane shrugged. "It's not that important. It can wait."

Loki grabbed Jane's waist and pulled her on top of him. "Oh, no you don't. You always do that, and it's always important. Now tell me," he growled.

Jane grinned and rolled off his chest, sitting on her knees. "I'm pregnant."

Loki's eyes went wide and he sat bolt upright. "Jane you—you're _pregnant_?" Jane nodded, biting back her grin. His gaze lowered to her abdomen and back to her eyes. He suddenly pulled her onto his lap and kissed her, hard. Jane laughed against his lips, and his hands cradled her face. He pulled away from her, unable to stop grinning.

"I talked with the healers before you woke up this morning. They're the only ones who know. I made them promise not to say anything until we make the announcement," she explained, giddy.

Loki's expression grew serious. "Then we have no time to waste!"

"We can wait a few minutes; you just woke up," Jane reasoned. He kissed her lips briefly.

"My love, I want _everyone_ to know _now_, even if I have to shout it from the rooftops. I've waited this long; I will not wait another moment."

Jane climbed off of his lap and watched as he hurriedly dressed. She laughed to herself, shaking her head. When Loki finished dressing, he pulled Jane from off the bed and into his arms.

"Jane, my darling wife," he said between kisses, "you've no idea how happy this makes me."

She laughed. "I think I have a pretty good idea."


End file.
